Summary
- Profile Type
- Research & Development Request
- POD Reference
- RDRBE20250506002
- Term of Validity
- 6 May 2025 - 6 May 2026
- Company's Country
- Belgium
- Type of partnership
- Research and development cooperation agreement
- Targeted Countries
- All countries
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General information
- Short Summary
- For this call HORIZON, QSPA could develop multiple innovative processing methods for sorted-out products (apples & squash/zucchini) that can be applied directly on the farm, reducing food waste and having a positive economic impact for the producer. For apples, two valorization paths and consumer-oriented concepts could be explored (locavorism and innovative products). For squash, zucchini, and 3rd range vegetables, the focus would be on developing specific lacto-fermented vegetables.
- Full Description
- The Quality and Safety of Agri-food Products Laboratory (QSPA) is an academic lab at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (Liege University). The main expertise developed in QSPA is related to the impact of technological processes on food quality (safety, nutritional, and functional) and the valuation of typical raw materials. Recently, QSPA has been broadening its scope of interest to include new elements associated with impact of agricultural practices and climate change conditions on technological aptitude and quality of food materials (physico-chemical, nutritional, and functional) and improving local food chains by promoting typical and traditional raw materials, circularity, and integrating life cycle approaches. In addition to the academic laboratory, QSPA also houses two regional agri-food management structures. “DiversiFerm”, financed by the Walloon region, supports farmer-processors and agri-food artisans in their production of artisanal foodstuffs and marketing them via short circuits. “AgriLabel” is a framework structure created by the Public Service of Wallonia, designed to assist Walloon producers or producer groups in obtaining recognition for their products through national and European labels (https://www.agrilabel.be/).
- Advantages and Innovations
-
POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION:
Quality and Safety of Agri-food Products Laboratory (QSPA) expertise:
➢ Impact of preservation processes and transformation technologies on food product qualities.
➢ Influence of agricultural practices and climate change conditions on technology aptitude and the quality of food materials.
➢ Promoting the local and international food sectors, circularity, and sustainability by:
• Highlighting the richness of local and undervalued food materials.
• Valorization of undervalued raw materials and coproducts in food chains.
• Integrating life cycle thinking approaches to assess the sustainability gains of the targeted food sectors.
Diversiferm expertise (more than 20 years):
➢ developing and providing technical tools for food safety and transformation in the farm and/or at a local scale.
➢ solid understanding of sanitation and food safety European regulations.
➢ Designing and providing theoretical and practical training on all processing activities for the preservation and transformation of food materials on the farm or on a small scale.
Agrilab expertise (more than 15 years):
➢ Proven expertise in working with public and private partners in the field of food labeling
➢ Creating technical specifications for food product labeling and certification
➢ Solid understanding of national and European food product labeling and certification
procedures. - Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Goal 13: Climate Action
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
- Research & development cooperation agreement
- Type and Size of Partner
- SME <=10
- SME 50 - 249
- R&D Institution
- Big company
- University
- SME 11-49
- Type of partnership
- Research and development cooperation agreement
Call details
- Framework program
- Horizon Europe
- Call title and identifier
-
HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-02-two-stage
- Coordinator required
-
Yes
- Deadline for EoI
- Deadline of the call
- Horizon Europe
Dissemination
- Market keywords
- 07003002 - Health food
- Targeted countries
- All countries