EXCEL4PRO
EXCEL4PRO is a Horizon Europe-funded project that strengthens excellence hubs in Türkiye, Greece, and Ukraine to advance plant-based protein innovation in the agri-food sector. It fosters cross-border collaboration among 17 partners to develop novel foods, improve processing techniques, and support sustainable food systems aligned with the EU Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy.
The project connects regional ecosystems for protein-rich crops, offering training, open calls for startups, and pilot research to scale plant-based economies. Excel4Pro emphasizes business support, policy recommendations, and life-cycle assessments for healthier, eco-friendly products
The EU Food Safety Platform is synergizing with the project by co-hosting events like the joint webinar on novel foods. The partnership enhances regulatory alignment and knowledge exchange for safe, sustainable novel proteins.
In line with the EU FOOD SAFETY PLATFORM networking approach, EXCEL4PRO with its sister project PROTWIN participated in the EU FOOD SAFETY FORUM 2025 to share its objectives and actions, looking for cooperation and synergies.
Collaborative Actions under the CNR Terms of Reference (ToR)
To initiate and strengthen collaboration, in 2025, the EU FOOD SAFETY PLATFORM and EXCEL4PRO formalized cooperation with the signing of a Terms of Reference (ToR). This agreement sets the basis for structuring joint initiatives and actions to boost synergies in the framework of the EU food systems.
The first initiatives under the TOR is the participation of the EXCEL4PRO Coordinator at the EU FOOD SAFETY FORUM in Rome on 2-3 December 2025, showcasing the project to a wide audience.
The platform has contributed to the PROTWIN- EXCEL4PRO Webinar Series, which bringd together researchers and experts to discuss the future of plant-based proteins. Veronica Lattanzio – the EUFSP Coordinator participated in the Webinar 3 “The Future of Food Safety in Europe: update of regulatory framework and research needs about novel foods“, on March 19, 2026.
For more information, you can contact the project Team.
Team
Dr. Aytunga Arık Kibarn
Project Coordinator
