ZEST is a European project co-funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU) and its members, lasting four years, that will utilise the process of fungi fermentation to reduce the production of agro-industrial side streams, one of the major environmental challenges identified by the European Commission.
Fungi are highly versatile organisms capable of decomposing complex organic materials. Starting from this premise, ZEST proposes using this mechanism, known as fungal fermentation, to convert agro-industrial waste into proteins and other valuable compounds, thereby promoting circularity in the food production process.
To this end, the ZEST project, which has a total budget of €7.5M, will rely on artificial intelligence (AI) as a valuable ally, as it will allow for the monitoring and control of fermentation conditions, ensuring the highest possible yield in the aforementioned decomposition process.
The Danish Technological Institute (DTI) coordinates a consortium made up of twelve entities from five European countries.
