ZEST: Turning Agro-Industrial Waste into Sustainable Proteins — Paving the Way to 2028!
The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry is proud to be part of ZEST — an innovative EU-funded initiative titled “Valorization of Agro-Industrial Waste through Fungi Fermentation supported by Digital Modeling (ZEST)”. The project is aimed at sustainable food production through fungal fermentation and digital innovation.
What is ZEST?
ZEST is developing an innovative approach to convert agricultural and food industry waste into high-quality fungi-based proteins and nutrients. This will be achieved by combining advanced fermentation technologies with smart digital modelling — resulting in reduced food waste and a sustainable, eco-friendly protein source.
Why Does It Matter?
- Sustainable Proteins: Fungi-based proteins such as mycoprotein are nutrient-rich and require significantly less land and water compared to traditional meat production.
- Zero-Waste Economy: By biologically upcycling agri-industrial by-products into high-value goods, ZEST supports the EU’s circular economy goals.
- Reduced Carbon Footprint: The process cuts CO₂ emissions associated with protein production and logistics, especially when production is localized.
- Ethical Acceptability: Fungal fermentation ensures the end product is free from ethical and religious concerns, making it widely acceptable across cultures and diets.
International Collaboration
ZEST brings together leading institutions across Europe, including the Danish Technological Institute, Bioreactors.net SIA (Latvia), and LSIWC, alongside partners from Germany, Spain, Serbia, and Denmark.
Project Goals:
- Develop an automated, zero-waste fermentation system.
- Design a multipurpose bioreactor adaptable to various raw materials.
- Conduct comprehensive value chain analyses to assess economic viability, market potential, environmental impact, and the sustainability of fungi-based products
Mg.sc.ing. Konstantīns Dubencovs, ZEST project manager at LSIWC, comments:
Our team is currently conducting fungal cultivation experiments to generate the data needed for bioreactor scaling and bioprocess modelling. The data will be used to develop artificial intelligence models and design an automated control system. The goal is to create a scalable, sustainable solution that can be implemented locally and across Europe. In addition, we are actively working on analytical methods to evaluate the process profitability, fungal biomass yield, quality and nutritional composition, including protein and fiber content, as well as mineral levels.
The ZEST project paves the way toward a climate-friendly and sustainable future for food production.
