Climate Smart Food and Nutrition Research Infrastructure

FOODNUTRI, a national research infrastructure for climate smart food research

Xamk’s Active Life Lab research unit is a member of the multidisciplinary FOODNUTRI consortium. FOODNUTRI is a national food and nutrition research infrastructure that broadly serves the entire food system. Active Life Lab performs the project in cooperation with Xamk’s Responsible Food Services Research Group.

The FOODNUTRI research infrastructure will contribute to the implementation of the EU’s Food 2030 policy, taking into account the Finnish government’s vision: “In 2030, Finnish consumers eat tasty, healthy and safe Finnish food that has been produced sustainably and ethically. Consumers have the ability and possibility to make informed choices.”.

At Xamk, the project aims to build a research environment and related services at the Saimaa Stadium and Active Life Lab. The research environment will enable research on topics such as consumer food choices and the attractiveness of digital display media.

 

 

 

More information

Arto Pesola
Head of RDI Unit
arto.pesola@xamk.fi
p. 040 6411 504

Teija Rautiainen
Research group manager
teija.rautiainen@xamk.fi
p. 040 0872 759

Piia Mikonsaari
Project manager
piia.mikonsaari@xamk.fi
p. 050 4108 048

Kuva 1. FOODNUTRI is constructed upon seven knowledge-based platforms collaboratively targeting to address critical challenges for health and well-being both for the planet and people.

 

The aim is to address critical challenges to the environment and people’s health and well-being. FOODNUTRI aims to make a significant contribution to ensuring healthy nutrition, sustainable food security and excellent food safety.

FOODNUTRI aims to upgrade domestic raw materials and side streams using innovative food processing and packaging technologies and to provide information on food characteristics, structure and safety, physiological responses to food, consumer acceptance, food consumption and nutrient intake, and on sustainability of food choices. The services are targeted for researchers, food business operators, authorities, health professional, farmers, and for other interested stakeholders.

 

Kuva 2. Added value of FOODNUTRI.

 

FOODNUTRI will create a service concept that provides the wider community, under certain conditions, with access to equipment. The infrastructure encompasses seven research platforms:

  • Food processing
  • Food characterisation
  • Food safety
  • Physiological responses to food
  • Sensory and consumer research
  • Food consumption and nutrient intake
  • Environmental sustainability and footprint

Data-driven welfare services are one of Xamk’s strategic development areas. This strategic research line is mainly used in the research laboratory of the Active Life Lab, where the latest research technology enables the study of the interaction between physical activity and food choices. The aim of the Responsible Food Services Research Group is to promote the ecological, economic, and social sustainability of food services as part of a regionally sustainable food system. This research technology and the role of food services in supporting consumer’s good and nutritious eating will continue to be developed through the FOODNUTRI project Sensory and Consumer Research.

The aim of the project is to create an environment where consumer’s dietary choices can be influenced through information-based recommendations, physical activity and lifestyle guidance.

FOODNUTRI CONSORTIUM PARTIES:

University of Helsinki
University of Eastern Finland
Natural Resources Institute Finland
Finnish Food Safety Authority
Finnish Environment Institute
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
University of Turku

The FOODNUTRI research infrastructure was granted € 3.5 million in funding by the Academy of Finland. The three-year project is headed by Professor of Food Safety Marina Heinonen from the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry. The finding granted is based on the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) of the European Union and the governmental Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland. Through their activities, RRF-funded projects promote digitalisation and the achievement of the goals associated with the green transition.

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Facts

Climate Smart Food and Nutrition Research Infrastructure

1 January 2022 – 31 December 2024

Project partners

Lead partner: University of Helsinki

Partners: South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences

Focus areas: Sustainable wellbeing

Budget

Total budget: € 5 229 528

XAMK part of the total budget: € 213 347

Financiers and main source of funding: Academy of Finland

Index terms

digitalisation sustainability well-being