Descrizione del progetto
Verso la coltivazione di microalghe su scala industriale in Europa
Le attuali pratiche agricole e produttive stanno causando danni ambientali irreparabili. Sebbene le microalghe rappresentino una soluzione promettente a questo problema, costituiscono una tipologia di coltura sottoutilizzata. Questo perché i prodotti a base di microalghe lottano per ottenere le stesse economie di scala dei prodotti convenzionali. Il progetto MULTI-STR3AM, finanziato dall’UE, è volto a fornire preziosi prodotti a base di microalghe per i grandi utenti finali nei settori alimentare, dell’alimentazione degli animali e dei profumi riducendo i costi, aumentando le dimensioni e incrementando la sostenibilità. I suoi prodotti includeranno lipidi per creme da spalmare commestibili, proteine, carboidrati e lipidi per ingredienti utilizzati per l’alimentazione di pollame, suini e ruminanti e proteine e piccoli composti organici come elementi costitutivi per l’industria dei profumi. Il progetto aprirà la strada alla coltivazione sostenibile di microalghe su scala industriale in Europa.
Obiettivo
MULTI-STR3AM is driven by a critical need to shift to a sustainable means of producing food, feed and raw materials. Microalgae represent a promising solution to address the growing recognition that current agricultural and manufacturing practices are causing irreparable environmental damage. Microalgae, have a vast biosynthetic potential and are a rich source of lipids, protein and high-value compounds such as pigments. Despite these advantages, they are underexploited as a crop. This is due to barriers of scale, which mean that microalgae products struggle to achieve the same economies as conventional products, such as palm oil or soybean. MULTI-STR3AM addresses these challenges by scaling up and lowering costs, providing valuable products for large end users in the food, feed and fragrance sectors. The project reduces costs, increases scale and boosts sustainability, through: i) constant improvement of strains through non-GM methods, to increase their productivity and meet end user needs; ii) design and engineering improvements to cultivation and harvesting technologies to reduce CAPEX and OPEX of biomass production; iii) exploitation of industrial and own side streams during cultivation in a circular economy design; iv) synergistic integration of different technologies in a multi-strain, multi-method, multi-product biorefinery (‘MULTI-biorefinery’); and v) valorisation of every fraction of the microalgal biomass in a zero waste approach. MULTI-STR3AM will demonstrate 7 consumer products, 6 of which are new, including: lipids for edible spreads; protein, carbohydrates and lipids for feed ingredients for poultry, pigs and ruminants; and protein and small organic compounds as building blocks for the fragrance industry. By engaging global actors from the industrial, academic and non-profit sectors, MULTI-STR3AM creates a roadmap for economically viable industrial-scale microalgae cultivation, towards a sustainable future for European bio-based industries.
Campo scientifico
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistry
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipids
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
- agricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- H2020-EU.3.2. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy Main Programme
- H2020-EU.2.1.4. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Biotechnology
- H2020-EU.3.2.6. - Bio-based Industries Joint Technology Initiative (BBI-JTI)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
IA - Innovation actionCoordinatore
1649 038 Lisboa
Portogallo
L’organizzazione si è definita una PMI (piccola e media impresa) al momento della firma dell’accordo di sovvenzione.