Speedy Ferm Hub

Knowledge HUB for SPEEDY characterisation, optimisation and scale-up of FERMented, plant-based new foods

Introduction

SpeedyFermHub accelerates creation of tasty plant-based foods using fermentation. It will develop three prototypes - non-dairy cheese, sausage and meat analogue - by fast-tracking plant and microbe selections across Europe. Iterative screening, optimization, prototyping and testing cut resource use and improve products while easing reliance on meat and dairy.

fermentation; plant-based proteins; sustainable food; consumer acceptance; rapid screening; bioresource library; digital twin; microbial diversity; scale-up; future foods.

2026-2029

TRL: 3-7

Background

European diets still lean heavily on meat and dairy, and this puts pressure on climate, water and land resources. Plant-based options exist but account for a tiny share of the market and often fail to meet consumer expectations. Rapid fermentation can improve aroma, texture and nutritional value. However, there is a lack of strategies for quickly bringing plant-based ingredients to market using safe, environmentally friendly fermentation.

Photo 1 – Michele Pedrotti performing ‘Speedy’ sensory profiling at FEM (photographer: Isabella Endrizzi)

What we do

  • Build a fermentation resource library: including a wide range of plant ingredients and microbial strains from different regions.

  • Rapid screening and ‘omics: use high-throughput techniques to quickly identify promising plant–microbe combinations.

  • Technological and sensory characterisation: evaluate safety, nutrition, texture, aroma using fast sensory methods and classical analysis.

  • Prototype development and scale-up: iteratively refine recipes and produce three plant-based prototypes.

  • Consumer and market research: assess consumer acceptance in a transnational context.

  • AI-driven prediction tools: develop machine-learning ‘digital twins’ to predict fermentation outcomes and guide future product development.

  • Multi-actor collaboration: involve an Advisory Board of industry, academia and NGOs to guide product concepts and regulatory paths.

  • Open science and data management: create FAIR data workflows, a multi-omics repository and two open-source AI prediction tools.

Expected impact on food system transformation

SpeedyFermHub builds a library of ingredients and microbes and a rapid screening pipeline, enabling sustainable fermented food development. Pilot-scale prototypes that meet regulatory and consumer requirements encourage industry adoption. Engaging multiple actors builds awareness and policy support, fostering a resilient European food system and reducing reliance on intensive animal farming.

Photo 5 – ICTAN-CSIC team in the sample preparation lab (Photographer: M. Isabel López Román) 

Implementation and plans to reach target groups

SpeedyFermHub builds a library of ingredients and microbes and a rapid screening pipeline, enabling sustainable fermented food development. Pilot-scale prototypes that meet regulatory and consumer requirements encourage industry adoption. Engaging multiple actors builds awareness and policy support, fostering a resilient European food system and reducing reliance on intensive animal farming.

Photo 7 – SpeedyFermHub consortium during the project Kick-Off Meeting at FEM (Photographer: Fatemeh Izadfar)

Partners of the project

  • Franco Biasioli, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Italy,

    Mail: franco.biasioli@fmach.it

    • Vittorio Capozzi, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Italy

    • Elisa Salvetti, University of Verona, Italy

    • María Juana Frias Arevalillo, CSIC, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos y Nutrición (ICTAN), Spain

    • Marta Laranjo, Universidade de Évora, Portugal

    • Heikki Aisala, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finland

    • Gülden Göksen, Tarsus University, Türkiye

    • Marija Banovič, Aarhus University, Denmark

    • Céline Delbès, INRAE, France

    • Humberto Gonzalez Diaz, Universidad del País Vasco, Euskal Herriko Unibertsiatea (UPV/EHU), Spain

    • Pablo Granitto, CONICET, CIFASIS, Argentina

    • Vittorio Capozzi, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Italy

    • Elisa Salvetti, University of Verona, Italy

    • María Juana Frias Arevalillo, CSIC, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos y Nutrición (ICTAN), Spain

    • Marta Laranjo, Universidade de Évora, Portugal

    • Heikki Aisala, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finland

    • Gülden Göksen, Tarsus University, Türkiye

    • Marija Banovič, Aarhus University, Denmark

    • Céline Delbès, INRAE, France

    • Humberto Gonzalez Diaz, Universidad del País Vasco, Euskal Herriko Unibertsiatea (UPV/EHU), Spain

    • Pablo Granitto, CONICET, CIFASIS, Argentina

  • Website: www.speedyfermhub.eu