The session will delve into the evolving landscape of the pea protein market, focusing on the impact of the anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing duties (CVD) ruling. As global demand for plant-based proteins rises, food makers must navigate trade policies that can affect sourcing, pricing, and supply chains. Industry experts will unpack the latest AD/CVD rulings, explore their implications for the pea protein industry, and provide actionable insights for food makers. Attendees will learn how to adapt their strategies to maintain competitive advantage and ensure supply.

The key question of this presentation is how we can be one step ahead to impact the sustainable food supply chain. It’s all about innovation and collaboration. With an innovative mind-set and common passion for plant-based proteins endeco and Bühler combined their forces to build the Protein Application Center in Uzwil. This presentation will focus on the broad range of technical capabilities realized in the PAC to enhance protein innovation across the entire value chain.

Explore the dynamic intersection of biotechnology and new product development in the alternative protein sector. This panel will delve into the critical challenges in formulating alternative proteins, particularly addressing the hurdles posed by key ingredients like fat and methylcellulose. Our discussion will highlight how biotechnology offers innovative solutions to these formulation issues and how big tech can play a pivotal role in overcoming these barriers. We will also explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in driving product innovation, optimizing formulations, enhancing nutritional profiles, and improving texture and taste, ultimately shaping a sustainable future for alternative proteins.

A panel discussion focused on the evolving landscape of plant-based and alternative protein products. With consumer preferences shifting towards clean labels and increased demand for functional ingredients and transparency, the industry faces the challenge of meeting these demands while ensuring taste, affordability, and accessibility. This panel discussion explores strategies to bridge this gap, focusing on innovation, marketing, and education. Experts will delve into the latest trends, technological advancements, and consumer perceptions shaping the future of this sector.

Addressing the challenges in scaling production and distribution to meet growing consumer interest.

More information coming soon!

Dry fractionation processes are gaining traction as a promising alternative to wet extraction methods due to their reduced environmental impacts and the quality of native proteins. Tribo-charging electrostatic separation is a well-established method of dry fractionation in fly ash and mineral processing but has been getting renewed interest in food and feed applications in recent years. Combined techniques such as dehulling, milling, and air classification followed by electrostatic separation have shown to be effective in enhancing protein purity of legume, cereal, and oilseed meal protein concentrates, yet products with increased protein have not been introduced to the market. Therefore, the functionality and nutritional quality of protein concentrate enriched by a tribo-electrostatic separator of yellow pea protein concentrates from two commercial sources and a defatted canola meal were investigated.

The optimized process condition yielded a pea fraction with a 9-11% increase in protein, 48% less fiber, and 34% less total starch compared to the starting protein. Triboelectric separation of defatted and milled canola meal with 43% protein and 32% fiber (dry-basis) produced a lighter color high protein fraction with 53% protein and 14% fiber.

This talk will provide useful insights on pea and canola protein concentrates with improved protein content and co-products for potential food, feed and other industrial applications. Furthermore, various examples of tribo-electrostatic separator-enriched protein concentrates from oil seed meal, cereals, brewers spent grain, and legume flours will be introduced.

Showcasing successful collaborations and formulation innovations catering to diverse culinary settings, from fine dining to food service and retail, driving adoption and acceptance of alternative proteins.

Scaling up, designing, and commissioning a novel protein facility is no easy task. A start-up company must navigate technical, commercial, and food safety challenges to successfully bring a new product to market. This presentation will draw on first-hand experience in this field and present some perspective on what considerations should be made for a successful venture. Specific attention will be given to equipment specifications, procurement, and operation, facility design for food safety and quality, and market avenues for co-products of protein manufacturing. The discussion will illustrate some of the crucial challenges faced by market entrants and provide guidance on how to avoid some of the growing pains associated with scale-up and start-up. The importance of front-end engineering design informed by industrial best practices, subject matter experts, and lessons learned from previous experience cannot be overstated. As margins tighten on global commodities, it is more critical than ever to choose a design team with the right set of skills and reduce the downstream risk once the time comes to break ground.

Chefs play a pivotal role in steering trends and satisfying consumer palates. This panel explores the seamless integration of alternative proteins into restaurant menus and culinary experiences, addressing key considerations such as:
- Unpacking the key factors to include a product on the menu - is it price, taste and texture or nutrition?
 - Assessing product categories with high potential for menu incorporation.
- Prioritizing versatility or convenience in product formulation, tailored to diverse dining settings.
- Adapting to the preferences of younger generations (Gen Z and Gen Alpha) in environments like school cafeterias.
- Promoting synergy between the food industry and chefs to develop products optimized for food service demands.

This presentation explores superior dairy proteins, how to drive new product development with precision-fermented dairy proteins, and the role of an ingredients company in this space. This session aims to define superior dairy proteins, compare them to conventional ones, highlight their unique functionality and how to leverage this to develop beautiful food and beverage products, supported by successful product examples. The role of ingredient companies is examined, focusing on their responsibilities, challenges, and importance in evolving our food system to meet the world’s growing need for nutritious, functional, and sustainably-produced protein.

Navigating consumer perceptions and market positioning strategies for alternative seafood products, addressing challenges and opportunities. More information coming soon!

More information coming soon!

Protein extraction and purification is still a hot topic of interest worldwide. Due to the importance of this resource for today's and tomorrow's needs. IMPROVE aims at adding a new step to the development of purified protein ingredients. Nowadays, process development traditionally involves lab scale conceptualization, pilot scale prototyping and industrialization phases. This schematic presentation does not fully suit with the complexity of protein purification which also includes side reactions that impact protein and byproducts quality (functional and sensorial properties). Today, IMPROVE offers a continuous demonstrator at micro-pilot scale, that allows to reduce processing time, to anticipate protein functionality and quality at industrial scale, to anticipate industrial levers, to ease scaling up taking into account at an early-stage process water consumption. This combination of equipment setup and analytical capabilities is an innovative way to reflect about industrialization.

This panel explores the convergence of innovative protein strategies, cutting-edge agricultural practices, and international collaboration. Experts will delve into sustainable agriculture techniques (e.g., gene editing, regenerative agriculture, side stream valorization) to enhance productivity and environmental stewardship. The discussion will highlight prospective initiatives for protein diversification and discuss positive examples from other countries (Denmark - government support, no polarization). Emphasis will be placed on the collaborative efforts between the United States, Canada, and other global players to shape the agri-food system and food policy at local, national, and international levels, aiming to ensure food security and sustainability for future generations.

Track I and Track II Wrap-Up

Closing Remarks