Research

CClimate change increasingly exposes crops to drought and indirectly aggravates nutrient limitations by disrupting soil moisture and nutrient cycling. These combined stresses can cut cereal yields by up to 50% in Europe, while low fertilizer efficiency accelerates soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and nitrogen-driven green-house gas emissions, further amplifying climate change. EVOLVE pioneers a breakthrough biotechnology that translates extracellular vesicle (EV)–mediated rhizosphere signaling into actionable breeding and bio- input tools to enhance wheat resilience, nutrient efficiency, and grain quality under combined drought × nitrogen deficiency. Built on the hypothesis that EV-associated small RNAs and metabolites released by roots steer soil microbiomes, EVOLVE decodes and applies EV communication to shape beneficial plant–microbe interactions. Using wheat as the target crop and barley as a diploid reference, the project will: (1) identify EV cargos coordinating root–microbiome interactions and nutrient cycling under single and combined stresses; (2) apply AI-driven multi-omics integration to link EV cargos with plant performance and microbial functions; (3) translate molecular markers into double haploid breeding pipelines for rapid fixation and combination of complementary stress resistances; and (4) develop synthetic and algal-derived EVs via microfluidic encapsulation as programmable, bio-based fertilizers. Validated in aeroponic and soil systems reproducing drought, nitrogen limitation, and their combination, EVOLVE will deliver a TRL4 proof-of-concept for non-transgenic EVguided breeding tools and next-generation biofertilizers that enhance NUE and WUE by ≥10–15%, stabilize yields, improve grain quality, and reduce N2O emissions and nitrate leaching. By merging EV biology, predictive breeding, and synthetic delivery, EVOLVE defines a new route toward climate-resilient, high-quality, low-emission cereal production in Europe.

The sustainable transformation of protein consumption is essential to meet global food security and environmental goals. While extrusion is an established technology for plant-based meat analogues (PBMA), challenges in raw material utilization, upscaling, and product quality hinder broader adoption. This project aims to overcome these bottlenecks by focusing on the integration of underutilized, locally sourced raw materials – including oilseed press cakes, grain legumes, and fiber-rich side streams – with conventional protein isolates (e.g. soy, pea) to develop new PBMA prototypes and thus reduce the carbon footprint of the production and support circular food systems. The main objective is to evaluate the physicochemical and techno-functional potential of these novel raw materials, considering factors such as protein heterogeneity, antinutritional compounds, and preprocessing history, and how these influence extrusion behavior and final product quality. Using pilot-scale extruders, we will conduct trials at lab- and industry-relevant scales to assess scalability and parameter transferability, an unresolved challenge in extrusion science. Reverse engineering will also be employed to define target output characteristics. In the subsequent phase, culinary-technological optimization and shelf-life analysis will be performed. Purdue University will contribute to microbial assessments and conduct pioneering research on the effects of PBMAs on the human gut microbiome – a novel aspect of functional food research. This integrated, transdisciplinary project is expected to deliver scalable, sustainable, and nutritionally valuable PBMAs, while also contributing to scientific innovation, industry advancement, and the EU’s Farm to Fork and sustainability goals.

Bacterial biofilms in food production pose a critical health and safety risk. Effective cleaning validation processes are crucial to mitigate these risks. The project addresses the biofilm challenge by developing a fast, secure and efficient cleaning test method to enhance hygiene, prevent microbial accumulation, and validate cleaning procedures in industrial settings. The test innovatively incorporates the use of a biofilm imitate and the numerical simulation of the cleaning process. Specifically, it can be used to evaluate cleaning and decontamination concepts, to quantify the effort to clean production equipment and to identify the hardest-to-clean areas. Key objectives of the project include the selection and characterization of industry-relevant, dynamically grown reference biofilms, the development of a transportable cleaning and cultivation test rig, the generation and application of biofilm imitates mimicking the biofilm reference as well as to model and numerically simulate the cleaning behavior of the biofilm and its imitate.