RESEARCH PLAN

Work Package 4: Nutritional value and innovative food and feed

Work package leader: (LLU, Latvia).

Objectives

The objective of the WP4 is to improve an efficient assessment of high protein legumes of local origin (pea, broad bean and cowpea) in food and in feed as an alternative to imported high-protein feed materials (soya beans, corn etc.) and their impact on the quality of final innovative product, cost-effectiveness and environment safety.

Sub-objectives:

- Evaluation of locally grown peas and beans for food and feed uses;

- Development and assesment of inovative food and feed products;

- Development of new processing and packaging techniques.

Background

Problem of sufficient protein supply is very acute for humans as well as domestic animals. Growing population requires more quantities and improved quality of protein. Local legumes with high protein outcome and balanced amino acid content are the best solution for protein problem in Europe. Improvement of technologies enables the development of new food and feed products with increased nutrition value. New packaging technologies and materials will allow comfortably use (ready-to-use)legumes. Physical, biochemical and microbiological analyses will be carried out in this task to determine the qualitative and quantitative features of locally grown legumes. The evaluation of legumes as protein source for local food and feed will be performed. To achieve the objectives of the WP4 the multidisciplinary team consisting of high-skilled specialists of 6 countries is involved.

While drafting the research proposal consultations with Animal welfare authorities were conducted in order to ensure that the project complies with the relevant national, EU and international ethics related rules and professional codes. All of above mentioned rules and codes were observed and will be considered during the implementation of the project.