On March 25, Excel4Pro, represented by Foodback, joined the Uludağ University Food Summit in Bursa with a panel titled “Plant-Based Proteins and the Innovation Ecosystem.” The session was moderated by İlknur Şahin, Project Manager at Foodback.
The panel featured Dr. Aytunga Arık Kibar, coordinator of Excel4Pro, and Cansu Çelik from The Good Wild, bringing together academic and industry perspectives to discuss the future of plant-based proteins.
A Multi-Dimensional Perspective on Plant-Based Proteins
The session opened with an overview of the growing importance of plant-based proteins and their role within the innovation ecosystem. Speakers introduced their work and shared how their expertise connects to food systems transformation.
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- Aytunga Arık Kibar highlighted how projects like Excel4Pro and PROTWIN contribute to the field through data, modeling, and technological infrastructure, enabling innovation in emerging food domains.
- Cansu Çelik focused on the nutritional perspective, emphasizing the increasing role of plant-based proteins, especially legumes, in shaping healthier and more sustainable diets, and how this shift is influencing consumer habits.
Future Opportunities and Insights
The discussion also addressed future directions in the field. Dr. Kibar underlined the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, R&D, and scientific research for those looking to work in plant-based proteins.
Cansu Çelik pointed out that plant-based nutrition is not just a trend but a long-term transformation, with legumes and alternative proteins expected to play a more central role in everyday diets.
The session concluded with a short Q&A, engaging participants in a broader conversation on sustainable food innovation.
Strengthening the Innovation Ecosystem
This panel demonstrated the value of collaboration between academia, industry, and EU-funded projects like Excel4Pro in driving forward sustainable food systems and supporting the plant-based innovation ecosystem.