FERM4FOOD aims to revolutionise the production of functional food ingredients by demonstrating the first integrated, scalable EU platform that converts industrial CO₂ emissions into food-grade lactic acid, single-cell protein and microbial oils through precision fermentation with genetically engineered microorganisms.
The challenge
The European food and drink industry accounts for approximately 15% of the EU’s industrial CO₂ emissions — over 100 million tonnes per year — while remaining heavily dependent on fossil and agricultural resources. Scaling up CO₂-based food ingredients still faces major barriers: integrating CO₂ capture and fermentation at industrial scale is complex and capital-intensive, EU regulatory frameworks for GMO-derived food ingredients remain strict and fragmented, and market adoption requires cross-sectoral engagement and proven consumer acceptance.
The solution
At demonstration scale (TRL7), FERM4FOOD will capture real CO₂ emissions from an operational brewery and convert them through advanced fermentation and downstream processing, ensuring food-grade purity, safety and regulatory compliance. The resulting ingredients will be formulated into two vegan product prototypes — a protein-rich barista beverage and a functional beauty-food pouch — and validated for nutritional and functional performance and consumer acceptance through consumer panels. Digital twins will support real-time process optimisation, while life-cycle sustainability and techno-economic assessments will quantify environmental and economic performance to guide industrial deployment. Research and industry partners will also develop circular business models and an open-access digital platform to facilitate wider adoption.
The main impacts
FERM4FOOD will reduce the carbon footprint of the European food sector, decrease reliance on fossil and agricultural resources and improve resource efficiency. Consumer-validated vegan prototypes will demonstrate new applications for CO₂-derived ingredients, while robust evidence on sustainability and economic viability will support industrial decision-making and replication across the food sector. The project contributes to the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and the Horizon Europe Cluster 6 Work Programme by enabling climate-neutral, resource-efficient and resilient food systems and advancing the transition to a circular bioeconomy.
Acknowledgment
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant Agreement No. 101262970.
