We are willing to join a consortium as a project partner to develop plant protein-based food systems with safe and healthy characteristics to enrich the Mediterranean diet considering sustainable approaches at all stages, including production, extraction, processing, and packaging. We aim to produce plant protein concentrates or isolates from alternative Mediterranean protein sources (including food wastes and agricultural by-products) using environmentally friendly processing and extraction technologies, and to develop value-added food products with enhanced functionality, shelf life, health-promoting characteristics, and consumer acceptance. Sakarya University Food Processing and Packaging Research Team has experience in fruit and vegetable processing, dairy science and technology, non-thermal food processing technologies, waste valorization, plant protein extraction and production, product development, and smart and active packaging applications. This call will contribute to valorization of Mediterranean protein sources, production of new food products, development of sustainable production strategies, new collaborations and business opportunities
plant proteins, extraction technology, protein isolate, non-thermal technologies, sustainable production, plant-based foods, food product development, protein modification, food analysis, health-promoting bioactive compounds, packaging, shelf-life, Mediterranean diet.
Turkey is one of the Mediterranean countries producing significant quantities of olive, grape, tomato, maize, orange, peaches, nectarines, melon, onion, pumpkin, sugar beet, melon, watermelon, carrot, apple, almond, groundnut, walnut, and hazelnut. Other suggestions are more than welcome.
The interest of Sakarya University Food Processing and Packaging Research Group is summarized in the following main activities.
• Development of environmentally friendly extraction strategies for plant protein concentrates or isolates from alternative Mediterranean protein sources.
• Development of sustainable production and packaging approaches to produce novel plant-based food products
• Modification of functional properties of plant proteins to develop protein-based beverages, bakery products, and dairy and meat alternatives.
• Valorization of alternative protein sources to develop value-added plant-based food products as alternative to meat and dairy systems.
• Development of sustainable approaches from farm to consumption to deliver safe and healthy foods with enhanced consumer acceptance in the Mediterranean diet
• Utilization of green extraction methods to recover bioactive compounds from Mediterranean protein sources, agricultural wastes, and industrial by-products
• Development of product formulating and packaging approaches based on alternative protein sources
• Characterization of developed food products in terms of physical, chemical, microbial, sensory attributes
• Shelf-life determination considering formulation, processing, and packaging applications.
