Events and dissemination activities
- Agri Innovation Expo 2023: Smart Agro Hub. Throughout this dynamic three-day event, enriching dialogues
were engaged in with various stakeholders in the agri-food industry. Collaborations were fostered with
distinguished researchers from the Agricultural University of Athens and other European institutions, Greek
authorities, and fruit farmers. - Excel4Med at 9th International Conference on ‘Chemical Reactions in Food’: Showcasing research andinnovations led by Prof. Marilena Dasenaki from National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, contribuAng tosustainable food practices.
- Excel4med was featured at the Science in the City Event in Valle]a, Malta, led by Georgios Psakis from the University of Malta. The iniAaAve aims to bridge the gap between scienAsts and the public.
- At the 37th EFFoST InternaAonal Conference 2023 in Valencia, Spain, Vasilis Valdramidis, the Project Coordinator, and the ELGO DΙΜITRA team represented Excel4Med, showcasing cuang-edge food science technologies for sustainable soluAons.
- An outreach event was arranged by the Malta Food Agency at the Farmers Market Ta’ Qali Malta on November 18th. The objecAve was to engage with consumers and provide informaAon about EXCEL4MED.
- The 10th InternaAonal Conference Mikrobiokosmos! Vasilis Valdramidis, the EXCEL4MED Coordinator, engaging in a fruihul discussion with Giorgos Markou, the AquaTech4Feed Coordinator.
First Living lab in Greece
On July 4th, 2023, the first living lab at the
University of Athens, Greece was organized. The
primary goal was to foster dynamic discussions
focused on promoAng nutriAous food products
and extracAng value from food industrial byproducts.
This event brought together a diverse community
comprising of farmers, researchers, policymakers,
and representaAves from the Mediterranean fruit
processing sector. ParAcipants seized the
opportunity to collaborate, brainstorm, and
exchange ideas pertaining to sustainable
processing methods for innovaAve and healthier
products. The collecAve dedicaAon and
enthusiasm witnessed during the event were truly
inspiring, signifying a shared vision for shaping a
more sustainable future for the Mediterranean
fruit processing industry. The valuable insights and
feedback gathered during this occasion carry
significant weight and will be integral in guiding
our future iniAaAves towards a more sustainable
path.
Consumer survey
As part of Work Package 2, a comprehensive and
representaAve consumer survey was conducted
across Malta, Greece, and France. The survey
aimed to assess consumers’ acceptance and their
willingness to purchase agricultural products and
foodstuffs currently being produced thanks to the
project’s research, as well as their willingness to
pay a premium for these items. BioacAve
substances extracted from the waste of citrus and
pomegranate fruits will enhance various
tradiAonal food items, elevaAng their nutriAonal
content, contribuAng to disease prevenAon or
control, and extending their shelf life.
Based on the outcome of the three-naAon survey,
the main barriers to adopAng novel food products
are consumers’ reservaAons and negaAve
percepAons regarding food addiAves (even if
vitamins), reflecAng consumers’ general
preference for wholesome food. The survey
highlights that naturalness, tradiAon, healthiness,
and locally produced food items significantly
influence consumer preferences. AddiAonally,
there is a reluctance among consumers to pay
extra for smoothies, juices and cheese in brine
with addiAonal bioacAve enrichments. Despite a
considerable interest in trying out these new food
products, consumers typically showed a
reluctance to exceed a 5% addiAonal cost for any
of the proposed products.
Incoming Events
