Dr. Aytunga Arik Kibar is our project coordinator on behalf of TÜBİTAK MAM
Read the interview on the idea behind Excel4Pro Project and how our approach ensures the enhancement of innovation and capacity in developing novel plant-protein foods.
What inspired the idea of Excel4Pro, and what key challenge in plant-based protein does the project aim to address?
“The idea behind Excel4Pro was born from a simple but urgent need: to strengthen our region’s capacity to produce sustainable, healthy, and affordable plant-based foods using local resources.
Today, we face two major challenges. First, global food systems are under pressure due to climate change, geopolitical instability, and growing population needs. Second, although the demand for plant-based diets is rising, many regions—including ours—still depend heavily on imported protein ingredients. This creates both economic and environmental vulnerability.
Excel4Pro focuses on bridging this gap. We aim to unlock the potential of traditional crops such as chickpeas, lentils, fava beans, and oilseeds—plants that are already well adapted to our environment, but underused in modern food innovation. Through advanced techniques, we extract and improve their protein content, making them more functional, nutritious, and appealing to consumers.
In short, Excel4Pro is about turning local biodiversity into real opportunities for healthier diets, regional self-reliance, and food system resilience.”
How does the project’s cross-border hub model, uniting Türkiye, Greece & Ukraine, enhance innovation and capacity in developing novel plant-protein foods?
“One of Excel4Pro’s most unique aspects is its regional cooperation model. By bringing together research centers and innovators from Türkiye, Greece, and Ukraine, we are building a dynamic cross-border quadrauple helix model hub for plant-protein innovation.
Each partner brings complementary strengths:
- Türkiye contributes expertise in pilot-scale food processing and metabolomics,
- Greece brings strong expertise in innovative processing technologies, as well as in life cycle assessment and environmental impact evaluation—crucial steps for ensuring the sustainability of plant-based foods
- Ukraine offers deep knowledge in legume and oilseed biodiversity and crop resilience.
This collaboration allows us to share laboratories, pilot facilities, and data platforms—creating not only cost efficiency but also regional alignment in food innovation efforts. Most importantly, it enables young researchers and entrepreneurs to move across borders, gain new skills, and co-develop new plant-based products together.
In a time building more self-sufficient and sustainable food systems are global priorities, this kind of cooperation is not just valuable—it is essential.”
Looking ahead, what is your vision for Excel4Pro’s impact on regional food systems?
“We see Excel4Pro as a starting point for long-term change. Beyond developing new food prototypes or publishing scientific findings, our goal is to empower people across the agri-food chain—from scientists to small business owners.
We envision a region where:
- Local crops are fully valorized,
- Plant-based diets are accessible and appealing,
- Innovation is driven not only by global trends, but by local strengths.
Through Excel4Pro, we are planting seeds for future food resilience—seeds of knowledge, collaboration, and innovation. If we can inspire more regional initiatives to follow this path, the project will have made a lasting impact far beyond its timeline.
Ultimately, we hope that Excel4Pro becomes a model for how science, tradition, and cooperation can come together to build better food systems—both for today and for the generations to come.”