Food production significantly contributes to climate changes, with the food supply chains generating up to ~40 % of greenhouse gases, while 1/3 of this food is further wasted or lost. Preventing food loss and waste is a priority area in the Action Plan for the European Circular Economy and particularly the Farm to Fork Strategy. 

In this regard, the primary objective of Up4Food is to upcycle side-streams generated from renewable biomass in various European regions, to enhance the availability and applicability of sustainable functional ingredients for food actors and improve the availability and acceptability of food concepts among consumers.

Upcycling side-streams for sustainable and healthy ingredients and new food concepts (UP4Food, 2024-2027) is a Joint Transnational Research Proposal “New food resources and technologies to improve public health and food security” (FOODRETEC) within the EU Joint Programming Initiative “A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life” (JPI HDHL).