September 19 2023 - September 20 2023
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Participants
As recent months have demonstrated, there is very little Spain can do about extreme weather and the effect it can have on a harmonious supply chain, but Spain is leading the way in terms of a tech-filled sustainable approach to producing food and drink. Spanish producers, manufacturers, retailers and start-ups are at the vanguard of food-related technology in pursuit of its sustainable development goals, and it's gone from Spain Food Nation to Spain FoodTech Nation in the process.
ICEX will be bringing 11 of Spain’s leading innovators to the Sustainable Food Forum to showcase the problems and solutions they are working on to progress Spain’s sustainability methods. Explore the innovators below.
Bio2Coat is a Spanish start-up founded in December 2020 with the mission of eliminating food waste and reducing the use of plastics. We have a B2B model where we produce and sell edible coatings tailored to extend the shelf-life of perishable foodstuffs such as fruits and vegetables.
Our edible coating is made only with authorized food ingredients and has no additives in the formula. The finished product is a pasteurized liquid solution, packaged in IBC containers of multiple sizes. Application is done directly by the customers through spraying, drenching or immersion. Once the solution is applied over fruits or vegetables, it creates a semi-permeable barrier that controls respiration rate, reduces weight loss, and minimizes micro-contamination, de-accelerating the maturation process and keeping the product fresh for longer. In addition, our formulation can be easily converted into a rigid packaging, a plastic film or an edible packaging. Our product is fully compostable even under household conditions.
Since the foundation, we have done extensive lab and field trials across several fruits and vegetables in collaboration with major producers in Spain. We have also designed and manufactured a semi-industrial plant, which is ready to be installed.
At the moment we are doing customer validation with two major producers in Spain and one of the largest food retail chains in Europe, who are interested in adopting our technology as soon as we kick-off production. Validation also on going with one of the top exporters of tropical fruits in Brazil.
Our technology has been patented in all geographies we plan to operate and our brand is trademarked.
At Cocuus, we are leading the way in the food industry with our innovative bioprinting technology.
Our focus is on two key areas:
- creating high quality vegan products and,
- restructuring animal proteins to reduce food waste, upcycle side streams and promote sustainability.
This is the result of a unique combination of technology and scientific expertise. We have developed plant-based foods that are similar in taste, texture and appearance to traditional products.
This has enabled us to meet the growing demand from consumers who are looking for healthier and more environmentally friendly alternatives. In addition, we have found an innovative solution to upcycle side streams for meat industry. By harnessing off cuts and using our bioprinting technology, we have created restructured meat cuts with clean, high-quality ingredients. This helps minimize the environmental impact associated with meat production.
In addition, we are establishing strategic alliances with key partners in the food industry to ensure effective distribution and maximize our impact.
At Cocuus, our commitment to innovation and sustainability is unwavering. We are determined to lead the shift towards a more responsible food industry and to provide solutions that meet the needs of conscious consumers.
Together, let’s achieve a future where healthy and sustainable food is accessible to all.
Ingredalia is a company that looks forward to making sure that everything that is currently discarded in the transformation and production of vegetables, becomes ingredients, bringing the healthy active compounds that we currently waste in actual food production processes, back to the food chain. We are talking about millions of tons in quantity, and more than 400,000 million dollars in value.
In the case of broccoli, more than 35% of what enters the frozen foods factory does not reach retail or consumers and has uses of little value. We do not want these quantities to lose value, and for this we make an extraction, and later a double-layer microcapsule, which results into a powder, in which we separate the extract, which lays in the core of the microcapsule, from the enzyme, which lays in the shell, that activates it to generate sulforaphane, which is the active molecule that really gives Broccoli its character of superfood
We are the only company worldwide that recovers this type of compound from the broccoli by-product, while our competitors recover it from seeds or sprouts, not allowing the plant to become food. And we have managed to validate this patent without initial industrial investment, working with both scientific and industrial collaborators.
Our strategy, thanks to our patented technology, is much more efficient than that of our competition, since we produce the active compounds in a focused and much more efficient way, proved scientifically, as we are generating our own studies with our industrial ingredient.
Nucaps improves your health as we help to produce better food, supplements and drugs by making bioactive substances stable, easy to absorb, healthy and natural.
Diet related illnesses (heart disease, obesity, diabetes...) are now the main cause of death in the world, about 20% of deaths are linked to a poor diet.
We are all concerned and willing to improve health trough nutrition. This is increasing the demand for diet supplements, functional foods, nutraceuticals and probiotics. But producers face great difficulties to create products, the results have an unpleasant taste, or low stability, or have no real effect on health and they are very expensive.
So, the future of nutrition required a natural solution to get: a higher and better absorption of bioactive substances. And now we have the solution: Protein Microencapsulation
Microcapsules work as natural carriers of bioactives and probiotics into the body. They protect their load till the substance is released and absorbed.
And the microcapsules are made solely from Food proteins. They do not include additives, preservatives, fats, sugars or synthetic materials… just natural proteins.
Nucaps increases the absorption by up to 30 times. Can be done for 70% less cost. We can increase shelf life of bacteria from days to months and we make possible the incorporation of these ingredients in food matrices with a clean-label and sustainable solution at an affordable cost.
Levprot Bioscience is a pioneering biotechnology company at the forefront of precision fermentation technology. With a strong focus on the foodtech landscape, we specialize in developing animal-free alternatives to conventional proteins through our expertise in precision fermentation in yeast cells.
Our ISO-certified and proven track record in precision fermentation extends to a wide range of applications, including biosanitary enzymes: leveraging advanced strain engineering and optimization techniques, we have successfully engineered high-value proteins with enhanced properties for the biopharma field.
Within the foodtech sector, our flagship projects include the development of high value ingredients that improve the functional characteristics and sensory attributes of the final products. One of our biggest goals has been the development of innovative production processes for the obtention of the sweet protein brazzein, able to offer a healthier choice for sugar consumption than artificial sweeteners. Additionally, we are actively working on projects involving caseins and hemoproteins, as well as growth factors for various applications in the pant-based food industry: everything oriented towards offering sustainable and appealing alternatives to the consumer.
With our cutting-edge technology and dedication to sustainable solutions, Levprot Bioscience is driving innovation in the field of protein production. By harnessing the power of precision fermentation, we are revolutionizing the way proteins are produced, offering environmentally friendly and ethically sourced alternatives.
Join us on our mission to transform the food industry and make a positive impact on global health and sustainability. Together, let's shape a future where protein production is efficient, sustainable, and animal-free.
Human food is currently the activity that has the greatest impact on the planet: 80% of deforestation is due to the expansion of cropland, 79% of which is used to feed livestock. The food industry is responsible for 24% of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere and demand for protein will increase by up to 70% by 2050. In contrast, resource extraction will only increase by 10%.
At MOA we are working to transform this reality, obtaining an alternative protein source from the by-products of the food industry itself, obtaining unicellular protein with a nutritional profile superior to that of vegetable proteins due to its content in essential amino acids, B vitamins, beta-glucans and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
By combining biotechnology and artificial intelligence, we will achieve a circular, healthier, more efficient and sustainable food industry.
CULTZYME specialises in the development of multi-purpose smart bioreactors. We make bio-manufacturing processes simpler and more efficient; our technology allows us to automate and optimise every process running in our bioreactors in real time. No more pipettes, external supplies or need for high CAPEX costs.
CULTZYME understands how tedious conventional bioreactor technologies are and that is why our systems have been developed with the end user in mind and we compact the technology in a unique way.
Our mission is to democratise biofabrication technologies in the same way that has happened in computer technology. Bioreactors today are like computers in the 70's, devices that require specific personnel to operate, large investment to acquire and today we see how even though the technology has advanced exponentially it is more accessible in all senses. It is along these same lines that CULTZYME is focusing its efforts to revolutionise the industry and unlock the potential of biofabrication in order to provide the technology that will allow science to advance at an unprecedented level.
AZTI
AZTI is a science and technology centre specialising in the marine environment and food that develops high-impact transformation projects with organisations aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN. Our purpose is to drive positive change for the future of humankind, contributing to a healthy, sustainable and fair society. We provide cutting-edge, value-added products and technologies grounded in sound science and research.
Throughout our 40 years of experience, we have developed an important network of national and international collaborating centres and have promoted more than 4,000 projects, in more than 45 countries, with industries and public institutions aligned with the major challenges facing humanity (United Nations SDG 2030). Of these, more than 370 initiatives, carried out with more than 230 clients, are currently being implemented, which in 2021 led us to achieve a turnover of €22.2 M.
The high scientific quality combined with the application of research results is the basis on which our research team is an international benchmark. (290 people, 60% PhDs, 58% women).
DACSA GROUP
Dacsa Group is a leading industrial group specialized in the development of Food Ingredients. Its three main business areas are Rice Milling, Corn Milling and Food Solutions. With an impressive presence in Europe, it has ten production plants in seven different locations, covering countries such as Spain, Portugal, Poland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. In addition, the company has a workforce of more than 500 employees.
Dacsa Group stands out as Europe’s undisputed leader in corn milling, serving diverse sectors such as breakfast cereals, snacks and the brewing industry. It is also recognized as a leading rice producer in Spain and Portugal, where it enjoys a solid reputation thanks to its well-known rice brands.
Dacsa Group’s main objective is to become its customers’ partner of choice, providing innovative and value-added solutions to the food industry. To achieve this, the company is guided by its core values: Safety, Efficiency, Customer Orientation and Commitment.
Our most recent focus is our Food Solutions division, where we focus on integrated plant-based solutions. From textured pea protein as an industrial ingredient to finished products, we offer delicious and sustainable options that meet our customers' needs and contribute to the well-being of the planet.
Our team of research and development experts has worked hard to create premium industrial ingredients that are highly versatile and adaptable to diverse applications in the food industry. In addition, we ensure that all our raw materials come from sustainable sources, reaffirming our commitment to environmental responsibility.
EATEX FOOD INNOVATION HUB by CNTA
Demographic, sustainability, efficiency and food safety challenges require, more than ever, the application of innovation and new technological solutions that generate impact throughout the agri-food value chain.
R&D centers are key agents in the generation of these innovations. In this context, Eatex Food Innovation Hub by CNTA was created with the purpose of improving and accelerating the technological transfer of value solutions from R&D centres to the agri-food sector.
We are an open and applied innovation ecosystem that addresses and solves today’s and tomorrow’s challenges in the agri-food sector. We implement agile and advanced research dynamics and models and provide financing for the development of solutions, accompanying R&D centres and companies in scaling up and implementing their innovative proposals, so that their progress is a success that reverts to everyone.
We work in six key areas:
- Promotion of the Agriculture and Livestock of the Future
- Search for New Ingredients and Production Models
- Development of New Food and Beverages for a Healthy Diet
- Implementation of the 4.0 Industry and Hyperconnected Processes
- Innovation in Food Packaging and Preservation Systems
- Circularity, Valorization of Agri-Food Wastes and By-Products, Upcycling.
Eatex Food Innovation hub is promoted and developed by CNTA in collaboration with more than 10 R&D Spanish centres of the Navarre Research & Development and Innovation System. Created within the Complementary Agrifood Plan ‘Agroalnext’ in the framework of the ‘Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan” funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Eatable Adventures, one of the leading food technology accelerators, identifies and supports the most innovative and disruptive food startups in the world, helping them to grow in the global market.
With the aim of acting on the food front and promoting the adoption of more sustainable and efficient business models, under the banner of more intelligent use of technology, Eatable Adventures has more than 40 corporate programs annually, a community of more than 25,000 founders, and a deal flow of 3,000 foodtech projects analyzed in 2022.
Promoting synergy between innovation, ethics, and sustainability, the company works to promote, develop, and democratize technologies in the agrifood sector, to build tomorrow's food system: sustainable, efficient, healthy, and ensuring food security on a global scale.
