One of VTT’s core innovations is the optimization of seed bioactivation processes. This includes:

• Germination: Enhancing the digestibility and nutritional profile of grains and legumes.
• Elicitation and Precursor Feeding: Stimulating the accumulation of beneficial compounds like antioxidants
• Biofortification: Enriching seeds with micronutrients (e.g., iron, zinc, calcium) to improve their health benefits.

These techniques are applied to raw materials such as barley and faba bean. VTT evaluates the effects on protein digestibility, antinutrient reduction, and micronutrient bioavailability, ensuring that the ingredients meet nutritional claims such as “high in” or “source of” dietary fiber, protein, and key vitamins like B12.

VTT also plays a key role in developing fermentation strategies that improve the sensory and functional properties of plant-based ingredients. This includes:

• Microbial strain selection: Using VTT’s extensive culture collection (https://culturecollection.vtt.fi/) to identify strains that boost nutritional value and reduce anti-nutritional factors.
• Solid-state and submerged fermentation: Tailored for different raw materials to enhance flavor, texture, and shelf life.
• Natural flavor design: Leveraging fermentation with selected strain combinations to reduce the need for added artificial flavorings, sugar, and salt.

These fermentation processes are integrated with non-thermal technologies like pulsed electric field (PEF), ultrasound (US), and high pressure processing (HPP) to create synergistic effects that improve both safety and nutritional quality.

VTT is responsible for designing and producing food prototypes that reflect consumer needs and preferences. These include:

• Smoothie-like fermented beverages
• Non-extruded meat alternatives

Each prototype is benchmarked against commercial ultra-processed products and animal-based counterparts for texture, taste, and nutritional value. VTT ensures that the food matrix is optimized for digestion, satiety, and nutrient absorption, incorporating feedback from WP2 (nutrition science) and WP4 (consumer studies).

VTT leads Task 2.3, which investigates the effects of food prototypes on the gut microbiome and satiety. This includes:

• In vitro digestion models: Measuring digestibility of starch and protein, and assessing glucose response.
• In vivo satiety tests: Conducted with human participants to evaluate appetite regulation.
• Colonic fermentation studies: Using both high-throughput and bioreactor-based models to assess microbiome modulation and short-chain fatty acid production.

These studies provide critical evidence of the health benefits of minimally processed foods and support communication strategies aimed at increasing consumer trust and acceptance.