EUR1.4m Funding for Royal Avebe and UMCG’s Project in Enzymatic Redesigning of Starch
The ‘Just Energy Transition Fund’ (JTF) will provide more than EUR1.4m in European funds to Royal Avebe and the UMCG. The money is for the ‘Functional Ingredients by Enzymatic Redesign of Starch’ project (FIBERS), which aims to create more sustainable and healthier (food) products from starch.
Plant-based foods like plant-based yogurt, cottage cheese, and cream cheese require this potato starch as a key component. Using enzyme technology from CarbExplore Research, starch derivatives will be created during the project, and the parties will assess the potential health benefits.
“We notice that more and more attention is being paid to food based on sustainable plant-based ingredients. Avebe needs to continue to innovate and become more sustainable. With the knowledge gained from the FIBERS project, we can expand our green starch portfolio (Etenia). Uniquely, we are looking at the positive health effects of these new starch derivatives on the stomach and intestines. We are therefore very pleased with the award from the JTF and the collaboration with UMCG and CarbExplore Research,” Marc Laus, Technology Officer Product & Applications at Avebe, mentioned.
Within the FIBERS project, Avebe’s potato starch is converted based on enzyme technology from CarbExplore Research. This results in sustainable starch ingredients for plant-based food. Attention is paid to health benefits and texture. For example, vegetable cottage cheese is low in fat but has a rich and creamy taste.
JTF fund is a European fund for territories most affected by the transition to a green economy. In this way, the E.U. wants to reduce socio-economic inequality. The JTF stems from the European Green Deal, the program for a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. To achieve this transition in the Northern Netherlands, EUR330m was pledged until 2027.
The JTF has been developed by the provinces of Groningen, Drenthe, and Fryslân, the municipality of Emmen, and the Labour Market Table Northern Netherlands (a public collaboration between the three northern labor market regions – these are the municipality and UWV – and the three northern provinces). The Northern Netherlands Partnership (SNN) implements the JTF subsidies.
