TWINNING TOWARDS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL EXCELLENCE IN PLANT PROTEIN RESEARCH

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Three key global drivers underpin the increased interest in plant protein-based diets: population-growth, important role of proteins in a healthy diet, and the environmental impact of animal-based food chains. While an increasing trend in proportion of plant sources included in diet is obvious, the current generation of commercial plant-based alternatives is suboptimal. More research is needed to obtain a comprehensive understanding on the impact of plant proteins on technological and nutritional functionality, including their digestibility and effect on gut microbiota. Despite high potential of protein crops in Türkiye and TÜBİTAK’s national reputation in plant-protein research, this is not sufficient for its scientific recognition among the EU's leading Institutes. Therefore, TÜBİTAK must improve its scientific and technological capacity, build a strong international network, and fill the gaps of this emerging protein for food field. In this context, PROTWIN is the most appropriate tool for TÜBİTAK to build a capacity development system at national and EU levels and being able to timely capture opportunities in the field of plant proteins research. The overall objective of PROTWIN is to stimulate scientific excellence, widening and strengthening networking activities between TÜBİTAK and top-class leading counterparts in EU in “plant protein innovation for food domain” by linking it with Aarhus University, University of Liege and CNR-ISPAAM. The significant complementarities between these institutions, processing, digestion, and gut microbiota for health, and -omics analytical platforms will enable through networking excellence in research and innovation, through knowledge transfer and exchange of best practice. PROTWIN will help raise the research profile of TÜBİTAK as well as the research profile of its staff. The mutual benefits of PROTWIN partnership will secure new joint research projects in the plant protein domain and provide continuity in the future.