EU-Funded GIANT LEAPS Project Aims to Make 60% of Protein Consumed in the EU Plant-Based

The EU-funded GIANT LEAPS project aims to accelerate the transition from animal-based to alternative dietary proteins. Led by Dr. Paul Vos, the project has received €10.3 million in funding to assess and promote plant-based, microbial, fungal, and cultivated protein sources. The initiative also aims to address challenges related to alternative protein use in food applications, focusing on ingredient processing, food production, safety, digestibility, health, sustainability, and biodiversity.

Currently, 60% of protein consumed in the EU is animal-based, with 40% being plant-based. GIANT LEAPS hopes to reverse this ratio by 2050 and achieve a 50:50 ratio by 2030. The project plans to focus on popular plant-based foods like fava beans, oats, quinoa, lentils, rapeseed, and chickpeas to create flavorful, nutrient-rich alternatives to traditional animal protein products in order to optimize both health and environmental benefits.