The aim of this Living Lab is to demonstrate that innovative processing solutions exists which can be marketed as a service for optimizing the processing of edible FLW biomass.

The technological feasibility and economic viability of the business model and how the revenues can or need to be distributed throughout the new potential value chain(s) will be studied. 

Underutilized biomass

Significant volumes of high-quality biomass remain underutilized or are used as feed or for energy generation, while opportunities exist for turning them into high added-value food products.

Moreover, their availability is variable and hence the equipment needed to deal with the processing of these fractions into stabilized, added value intermediate or end products needs to be flexible and versatile.

Such processing capacity is not available in most regions but is highly wanted/needed, especially at critical timepoints in almost every production season, e.g. due to surplus production, climatic conditions, a storm destroying fruit & vegetables for fresh market, a crisis (e.g. Covid-19, Russian Boycott of EU import of pomefruit, war in Ukraine).

Also, transporting relatively small and seasonal food surplus quantities to valorisation facilities is prohibitive due to its cost. 

Mobile processing unit

This Living Lab will evaluate and demonstrate the possibility of a mobile processing unit built in another EU project, the Food in a Box project (FOX).