EIT Food Consumer Engagement Labs – SENIORFOOD

Co-creating new food products for people over 60

SENIORFOOD –  Sustainable, ENgaging, Innovative Options for Resilient Food is an innovative project that aims to develop a plant-based fermented food product, tailored to meet the nutritional and sensory needs of people over 60, a rapidly growing consumer segment in Europe, particularly in Italy. This segment is still under-recognized by food innovation strategies and the industry.

The project aims to address the nutritional challenges typical of aging, such as the need for high-quality plant-based proteins, improved digestibility, difficulty chewing and swallowing, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It also aims to promote healthy lifestyles for healthy aging, as well as social inclusion and environmental sustainability, enhancing the proactive role of older adults in local agri-food innovation.

The first phase of the SENIORFOOD project – Sustainable, ENgaging, Innovative Options for Resilient Food – has successfully concluded. The initiative is one of six projects selected at the European level and the only Italian representative in the 2025 EIT FOOD Consumer Engagement Lab call. It involves collaboration between the CNR ISPA – Institute of Production Sciences of the National Research Council, a leading European research center in food innovation, and Società Agricola Colle di Seta of Ruvo di Puglia, a dynamic local enterprise integrating cultivation, processing, and direct sales of fruit- and vegetable-based products, with the support of the EU FOOD SAFETY PLATFORM.

Between September and October 2025, four participatory workshops took place both online and in person, engaging groups of citizens over 60 from various Italian regions. Guided by researchers from CNR-ISPA and following an international methodology developed by the University of Warsaw, participants co-created innovative plant-based food concepts that balance health, sustainability, and enjoyment.

At the end of this phase, four product ideas were selected, ranging from legume- and nut-based snacks and bars to ready-to-use plant-based creams inspired by traditional Apulian recipes, as well as functional foods designed to make it easier for older adults to consume essential nutrients in their daily diets.

In the coming months, Società Agricola Colle di Seta will develop and test prototypes, aiming to bring one of the co-designed products to market in 2026. The products will highlight traditional Apulian fruit and vegetable varieties and integrate principles of circular economy and environmental sustainability.

Colle di Seta is an Apulian company that integrates the cultivation, processing, and direct sale of fruit and vegetable products, with a strong commitment to scientific research and sustainable food innovation.

The SENIORFOOD project demonstrates how meaningful innovation can emerge through direct dialogue with citizens, especially with population groups often underrepresented in product development. For Colle di Seta, this initiative marks another step toward a business model that embraces research, innovation, and collaboration with the scientific community, aligning with Europe’s green transition and food resilience goals.

SENIORFOOD represents an important step in the bottom-up design of ideas and contributions to provide food products more suited to the needs of the elderly population, with a view to improving their quality of life and strengthening confidence in new food technologies.

Contacts:
dr. Marco Montemurro
CNR ISPA – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Istituto di Scienze delle Produzioni Alimentari
e-mail: marco.montemurro@cnr.it