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Project

Food from Food - ingredients from fruit and vegetable by-products (INTERREG TRIPLE F)

Main research question/goal

The TRIPLE F Interreg project has worked on solutions to reduce food losses and to reuse valuable edible residual flows in Flanders and the Netherlands. The food industry was a partner and stakeholder in the project, because it was always looking for more and new natural ingredients. Those involved realize that (too) little useful has been done to date with the large amounts of vegetable by-products. There is often a technical reason for this: residues from a processing process with vegetables or fruit are quickly subject to spoilage. In addition, the seasonal ups and downs present an organizational challenge in terms of continuous availability. It is these disadvantages and objections that are tackled in 'Foodfromfood', on the basis of concrete cases.


Research approach

We have worked out two promising cases in detail: leek and carrot. In the cleaning phase to prepare leeks for the fresh or processing market, masses of leek greens are lost. 1500 tons of lost biomass per leek producer per year is no exception. This residual fraction contains nutritionally interesting sulfur components, fibers and polyphenols. The residual flow of carrots – rich in carotenoids and fibers – is estimated at 300,000 tons per year in the Benelux. These residual flows have been processed using different techniques: pressing, drying, fermentation, ... and added to various food products. Some great success stories have grown from this. Extensive research was also carried out on the root residual flows. In addition, about 20 smaller valorization cases were worked out together with Dutch and Flemish companies. An online tool has also been developed that maps the residual flows in Flanders and the Netherlands and that inventories and unlocks the relevant open pilot equipment with which one can work.


Relevance/Valorisation

Triple F has developed an online tool that maps the edible residual streams in Flanders and The Netherlands and inventories and unlocks the relevant open pilot equipment with which to work. The concrete cases that have been worked out in this project have already yielded some nice successes that have made their way into the food industry. The researchers ensure that the cases also inspire other entrepreneurs. That was actually the main goal.  


Funding provider(s)
Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen

External partner(s)
Flanders' Food
Foodtech Brainport
Date:1 Jan 2017 →  31 Dec 2020