European UnionDeadline PassedNon-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Scaling-up nutritional proteins from alternative sources
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IA-03
Funding Amount
Amount not specified
Deadline
18/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Trusted by
What is the Scaling-up nutritional proteins from alternative sources Call?
Grant Description
This innovation action supports scaling up processes to extract and produce sustainably sourced alternative proteins for food applications, from diverse sources such as plants, invertebrates, microorganisms, fungi, aquatic biomass and fermentation of bio-based feedstock. It aims to improve cost-effectiveness, downstream purification, nutritional adequacy and safety, resource efficiency and circularity, while enhancing consumer acceptance and regulatory readiness.
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
Successful proposals will contribute to:
• Implementation of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and action plan, EU Industrial Strategy, Circular Economy Action Plan, EU Farm to Fork Strategy, Food 2030 pathways and the EU Initiative on Biotech and Biomanufacturing
• Increased availability of sustainably sourced nutritional proteins
• Enhanced resilience of food systems through diversification of protein sources
• Improved sustainability of food systems within planetary boundaries (land use, water use, energy consumption, nitrogen and nutrient cycles)
• Greater consumer awareness and acceptance of alternative protein sources, supporting sustainable healthy diets
• Implementation of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and action plan, EU Industrial Strategy, Circular Economy Action Plan, EU Farm to Fork Strategy, Food 2030 pathways and the EU Initiative on Biotech and Biomanufacturing
• Increased availability of sustainably sourced nutritional proteins
• Enhanced resilience of food systems through diversification of protein sources
• Improved sustainability of food systems within planetary boundaries (land use, water use, energy consumption, nitrogen and nutrient cycles)
• Greater consumer awareness and acceptance of alternative protein sources, supporting sustainable healthy diets
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
- Target nutritional food proteins only, sourced from: plants; invertebrates; microorganisms; fungi; aquatic biomass; fermentation of bio-based feedstock (including biogenic gaseous carbon)
• Achieve at least 50 % protein content by weight in the final ingredient (pure proteins, protein-rich mixtures or enriched ingredients)
• Co-produce other bio-based products (including feed) via cascading approaches
• Demonstrate innovative, scalable extraction/production and downstream processing that meet defined quality, stability and cost targets
• Prove nutritional adequacy and functional performance in food applications; evaluate additional health-related properties (allergy prevention, digestibility, etc.)
• Address resource efficiency and circular economy principles; prevent re-entry of pathogens or contaminants in circular loops
• Conduct comprehensive safety and toxicology testing per EFSA and EU regulatory frameworks; map regulatory landscape and propose solutions for identified gaps
• Include early and ongoing consumer/end-user engagement to gauge acceptance and inform development
• Leverage and build upon results from relevant previous R&I projects
• Achieve at least 50 % protein content by weight in the final ingredient (pure proteins, protein-rich mixtures or enriched ingredients)
• Co-produce other bio-based products (including feed) via cascading approaches
• Demonstrate innovative, scalable extraction/production and downstream processing that meet defined quality, stability and cost targets
• Prove nutritional adequacy and functional performance in food applications; evaluate additional health-related properties (allergy prevention, digestibility, etc.)
• Address resource efficiency and circular economy principles; prevent re-entry of pathogens or contaminants in circular loops
• Conduct comprehensive safety and toxicology testing per EFSA and EU regulatory frameworks; map regulatory landscape and propose solutions for identified gaps
• Include early and ongoing consumer/end-user engagement to gauge acceptance and inform development
• Leverage and build upon results from relevant previous R&I projects
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
- Proposals must comply with the specific requirements for Innovation Actions (IA) in section 2.2.3.1 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2025
• Use the updated Application Form (Part B) template (version dated 04/04/2025)
• Adhere to Horizon Europe General Annexes: Annex A & E (page limits/layout), Annex B (eligible countries), Annex C (financial/operational capacity), Annex D (evaluation criteria), Annex F (submission/evaluation), Annex G (legal/financial set-up)
• Submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal by 18 Sept 2025, 17:00 Brussels time, single-stage model; grant agreement type: HORIZON-AG
• Respect EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509; follow Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR appointment, and Financial Capacity Assessment
• Follow EFSA opinions (EFSA Journals 2021–2022) for testing intolerances/allergies and toxicology
• Ensure no pathogens or contaminants reintroduced in circular processes; meet all relevant EU safety standards
• Demonstrate complementarities with existing H2020/HE/BBI JU/CBE JU projects; cite examples but the list is non-exhaustive
• Use the updated Application Form (Part B) template (version dated 04/04/2025)
• Adhere to Horizon Europe General Annexes: Annex A & E (page limits/layout), Annex B (eligible countries), Annex C (financial/operational capacity), Annex D (evaluation criteria), Annex F (submission/evaluation), Annex G (legal/financial set-up)
• Submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal by 18 Sept 2025, 17:00 Brussels time, single-stage model; grant agreement type: HORIZON-AG
• Respect EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509; follow Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR appointment, and Financial Capacity Assessment
• Follow EFSA opinions (EFSA Journals 2021–2022) for testing intolerances/allergies and toxicology
• Ensure no pathogens or contaminants reintroduced in circular processes; meet all relevant EU safety standards
• Demonstrate complementarities with existing H2020/HE/BBI JU/CBE JU projects; cite examples but the list is non-exhaustive
Important dates
Open from: 03/04/2025
Deadline:18/09/2025
Application period has ended
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