Here there are main research highlights of the Joint-Initiative Proteins for a Sustainable Future:
A summary of the various work packages of the Joint Initiative.
Protein extraction / fibrillization Description
WP2. Fungal processing of industrial waste streams
Fungal fermentation is used to convert protein waste into new functional materials. At top, as an alternative to polyurethane foams, we highlight perforated mycelium-bound composite foams for sound absorption
Biodegradable plastic Description
Water purification membranes Description
Scale up the water purification Description
Depolymerizing/polymerizing into new proteins
WP7. Sustainability assessment
From the lab to society: we help understand the potential impacts and benefits of the protein-based functional materials in the context of their large-scale use. Using tools like life cycle assessment, material flow analysis, meta-analysis, multi-criteria decision methods, and geospatial data analysis, our goal is to optimise the matching of protein wastes (e.g., whey from cheese processing or soy “whey” from tofu production) to their potential alternative uses in society (e.g., aerogels or bioplastics).
