DELICIOUS brings together a strong and diverse consortium of 16 partners from 8 countries, combining expertise in microbiology, fermentation, food production, and market analysis to develop innovative plant-based dairy products.
RISE (Coordinator) – Sweden
RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) is one of the largest research organisations in Europe. The RISE Bioeconomy Arena specialises among other things in biotechnology, chemistry, residual materials, technoeconomic, and environmental sustainability. RISE conduct applied research and innovation in areas such as food technology, material science, and bioeconomy. With state-of-the-art facilities for high-throughput screening and pilot-scale fermentation, RISE supports the transition towards a more sustainable food system.
RISE is the project coordinator, performing research in EPS producing microorganisms and anti-nutrient degrading enzymes, conducting high-throughput kefir and cheese fermentations at microscale, upscaling the precision fermentation process, as well as performing life cycle and technoeconomic assessments.
Novonesis – Denmark
Novonesis, previously known as Chr. Hansen A/S, is a global bioscience company based in Denmark, specialising in natural ingredient solutions for the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. The Global Applications team for Plant-Based Dairy operates within the company’s innovation ecosystem, driving the development of novel microbial and enzymatic solutions to support sustainable and functional food systems.
Novonesis will act as a technology developer and research performer, contributing its expertise in microbial fermentation and plant-based dairy applications. They will support the prototyping, validation, and upscaling of ingredient solutions for innovative plant-based foods
Cluster Food+i – Spain
Cluster Food+i is an innovation cluster based in Spain that brings together food producers, technology providers, and research institutions to promote innovation and competitiveness in the agri-food sector. It focuses on strengthening collaboration within the value chain, supporting sustainable food production, and driving new market opportunities for plant-based products.
Cluster Food+i is responsible for communication, dissemination, and exploitation activities, ensuring that DELICIOUS outcomes reach target markets effectively.
NIZO Food Research – Netherlands
NIZO is a leading independent contract research and manufacturing organisation with 75+ years of expertise in food science and production, specialising in protein technology, fermentation food processing and sensory experiences of food. With extensive experience in dairy and plant-based products, and home to Europe’s largest open-access, food-grade pilot and scale-up plant, NIZO provides scientific and technical expertise to improve food texture, taste, and nutritional profiles.
NIZO will build on it’s unique micro-model for plant-based cheese. Analytical and sensory analysis will be used to optimize the selection of strains from the NIZO culture collection and improve the sensory properties of plant-based cheese.
Arbiom – France
Arbiom is a biotechnology company specialising in biomass fermentation to create protein-rich ingredients. Arbiom combines yeast fermentation expertise with innovative bioprocessing technologies to create a new generation of protein ingredients that doesn’t compromise between sustainability, performance and taste.
Arbiom will develop yeast proteins that will replace traditional protein sources, improving sustainability, nutrition properties and sensory qualities of the products.
Melt&Marble – Sweden
Melt&Marble is a Swedish biotechnology company that uses precision fermentation to produce tailor-made microbial fats. The company’s innovative process allows the creation of fats with specific sensory and functional properties, improving the taste, texture, and nutritional value of plant-based products.
Melt&Marble will develop tailored microbial fats to replace conventional oils, enhancing the sensory profile and sustainability of plant-based dairy.
Väcka – Spain
Väcka is a Spanish company that produces high-quality plant-based cheeses using natural ingredients and fermentation techniques. Väcka combines traditional cheesemaking knowledge with plant-based innovation to create products with superior taste and texture.
Väcka will apply the microbial fermentation technologies to develop new plant-based cheeses with improved flavour and texture.
Mevgal – Greece
Mevgal is one of the largest dairy producers in Greece, with a long-standing tradition in yogurt, cheese, and fermented products. Mevgal combines expertise in traditional dairy processing with innovation in plant-based alternatives, focusing on taste and nutritional quality.
Mevgal will adapt the microbial fermentation technologies developed in DELICIOUS to produce plant-based kefir with improved taste and nutritional value.
Alimentació i Ciència (ALI) – Spain
ALI is a non-profit foundation that combines food science and culinary expertise to create innovative food products. ALI specialises in sensory evaluation and product optimisation.
ALI will provide culinary expertise and sensory evaluation to ensure that the plant-based products developed in DELICIOUS meet consumer expectations.
University of Copenhagen (UCPH) – Denmark
UCPH is one of the top universities in Europe, known for its research in food science and technology. It has extensive experience in dairy product development and sensory evaluation.
UCPH will lead the evaluation of flavour and texture attributes in the new plant-based products developed in DELICIOUS.
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) – Greece
NKUA is a leading Greek university with strong expertise in microbiology, biochemistry, and food science. NKUA works closely with the food industry to transfer scientific knowledge into practical applications.
NKUA will lead the analysis of microbial communities and their metabolic interactions to optimise flavour and texture.
Chalmers University of Technology – Sweden
Chalmers University of Technology is a leading Swedish academic institution located in Gothenburg, with a strong reputation in research and innovation in biotechnology and synthetic biology. The Department of Life Sciences, Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology, leads interdisciplinary research with a focus on microbial systems and bio-based solutions.
Chalmers will act as a research performer and technology developer, contributing advanced tools for microbial metabolic engineering and systems biology. Their role includes designing and optimising microbial strains and pathways relevant for food applications.
AINIA – Spain
AINIA is a technological center specialised in applied research and innovation for the agri-food industry. It focuses on food safety, sustainability, and health-oriented product development, enhancing plant-based food matrices and bioactive compounds to support sustainable, consumer-oriented food solutions.
AINIA will be responsible for identifying the sensory and culinary requirements of vegetable dairy products and validating the final vegetable kefir and cheese with chefs and consumers.
University of Thessaly (UTH) – Greece
University of Thessaly (UTH), with 37 Departments and 8 Schools, provides undergraduate and postgraduate programs and extra-curricular modules in specific research and business fields for over 43.000 students. UTH is known for its excellent research performance and outstanding scientific achievements. The mission of UTH is the promotion of scientific knowledge through research and the contribution to the cultural and economic development of the local community and wider society.
The Lab of Marketing and Technology of Aquatic Products and Foods (Dept. Ichthyology & Aquatic Environment) is the leader for the UTH in the DELICIOUS project. The Dept. Food Science and Nutrition also participates. The expertise of the partner is on Classical and Molecular Food Microbiology, Bioinformatics analysis, Predictive modeling, Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assesment and Structural Functional Biochemistry of host-pathogen interactions (all required for WP4).
Aalto University – Finland
Aalto University is a multidisciplinary institution in Finland, bringing together science, technology, business, and arts. The Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems focuses on circular bioeconomy, industrial biotechnology, and the sustainable use of natural resources, with access to the Finnish Bioeconomy Research Infrastructure.
Aalto University will support the development and characterisation of novel food ingredients and materials. It will contribute to the research, testing and validation activities, and will be involved in the development of sustainable bioprocessing solutions using microbial platforms
University Hasselt – Belgium
Hasselt University is a dynamic and research-intensive Belgian university with expertise in behavioural science, marketing, and innovation adoption. The Department of Marketing and Strategy brings valuable insights into consumer behaviour, sensory science, and market acceptance of novel foods.
UHasselt will lead activities related to consumer research, sensory analysis, and behavioural experimentation to evaluate consumer acceptance of plant-based foods. Their contribution ensures market-driven development and the co-creation of consumer-oriented solutions.
MicrobiomeSupport (MIS) – Austria
MicrobiomeSupport Association is dedicated to advancing microbiome research and understanding and supporting adoption of microbiome-based solutions.
MIS will support the dissemination and communication of project results.
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Contact
CLUSTER DE ALIMENTACIÓN FOOD+I
C/ Parque de Los Lirios, 8, 1B · 26006 · Logroño· La Rioja · España
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe innovation action under grant agreement No 101181822. 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 Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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