SUS-PRINT will fill knowledge gaps and overcome technology hurdles in the production of next generation plant-based foods. By using plant and alternative proteins with low techno-functionality and by upcycling perishable food by-products using 3D printing – including a novel method for protein structuring, healthier, more sustainable and customizable plant-based foods are produced.
Important protein techno-functionalities, such as water/oil binding, solubility, gelling, and emulsifying, among others, are lacking in alternative plant proteins such as fava bean, mungbean and algae. As a consequence, plant proteins with low techno-functionality are challenging to use, especially for the creation of plant-based meat/fish analog products, when using traditional food processing technologies. The use of a protein structuring printer offers several advantages over traditional food processing, especially when using low techno-functional ingredients and materials. SUS-PRINT will enable the local, on-demand production of customizable, healthy and sustainable foods and will help minimize waste by employing a modular protein structuring printer which can easily be deployed in local areas. Ultimately, the creation of value-added foods from locally sourced ingredients in SUS-PRINT will diversify the selection of sustainable protein foods available to various consumers.
The SUS-PRINT consortium, representing important key stakeholders in the food industry, will work together to identify, address, and overcome challenges related to, and accelerate the availability of, sustainable foods, based on alternative plant proteins. SUS-PRINT will also help realize the objectives of the TKI call mission D2 (The Consumer, Sustainable and Healthy Food, in a Green Living Environment) by focusing on: (1) valorization of co-products and alternative proteins with low techno-functionality, (2) developing customizable healthy and sustainable foods for various consumers (such as elderly, children, special needs use cases), (3) improving the capability of a key technology (3D-food printing), and (4) understanding the interaction between ingredients, functionality, and processing in developing structures/textures for a new generation of plant-based food products, which are both healthier and more sustainable than currently available ones.
The SUS-PRINT project will run for a total of three years.

SUS-PRINT will enable the local, on-demand production of customizable, healthy and sustainable foods and will help minimize waste by employing a protein structuring printer with a modular character, allowing it to be easily reconfigured in order to match to a wide range of starting materials. Ultimately, the creation of value-added foods from locally sourced ingredients in SUS-PRINT will diversify the selection of sustainable protein foods available to various consumers.
SUS-PRINT will deliver:
1. Value-added food concepts, relating to plant-based meat and seafood analogs and plant-based snacks using low techno-functional proteins, and fruit/vegetable co-products/side streams;
2. A flexible protein structuring printing process which is capable of thermal, pressure, and shear treatments as an innovative method for de-novo texture formation; and
3. Detailed formulations, process conditions, unit operations, and material handling of more sustainable, healthier and customizable, next-generation plant-based meat and seafood analogs.

The SUS-PRINT consortium, representing important key stakeholders in the food industry, will work together to identify, address, and overcome challenges and accelerate the availability of sustainable foods, based on alternative plant proteins. SUS-PRINT will also help realize the objectives of the TKI call mission D2 (The Consumer, Sustainable and Healthy Food, in a Green Living Environment) by focusing on: (1) valorization of perishable side products (e.g. using perishable fruit and vegetable oversupply) and alternative proteins with low techno-functionality, (2) developing customizable healthy and sustainable foods for various consumers (such as elderly, youth, special needs use cases), (3) improving the capability of a key technology (3D-food printing), and (4) understanding the interaction between ingredients, functionality, and processing in developing structures/textures for a new generation of plant-based food products which are both healthier and more sustainable than currently available.

The project is divided into 6 work packages (WPs). The focus of each WP is shown below. Knowledge transfer is addressed in WP 6 focussing on communication and dissemination.
- WP1. Evaluation of material printability and process conditions. WP1 will evaluate the printability of a range of formulations using ingredient selected in WP2 together with the partners. The fundamental aspects of structure/texture formation using the protein structuring printer will be the main focus of WP1.
- WP2. Scoping and boundaries conditions. The prioritization of protein ingredients, co-product sources, model food applications, desired structures and textures will be decided in WP2 in close collaboration with the partners. Furthermore, in WP2, the consortium will identify specific model food applications and their characteristics. This information will be used for prioritization of important required structures and textures in WP1, and later on in WP3.
- WP3. Model product development towards specific applications. The main activity in work package 3 is developing specific print designs for specific model applications, as well as optimizing 3D food printing unit operation conditions and post-processing procedures.
- WP4 will focus on equipment improvement, design and engineering towards a continuous printing process. This work package will be led by TNO with their expertise in systems engineering and additive manufacturing. A new printer concept has been envisioned and will be built in the SUS-PRINT project.
- WP5 will focus on the sustainability of 3D food printing.

Planning is done on two levels:
- An overall planning, as described in the project plan, with deliverables for the entire duration of the project.
- A detailed planning for each WP, discussed in the consortium.

In 2024, the activities in SUS-PRINT will be continued according to the overall planning described in the project plan and the detailed planning discussed with the partners for the different WPs. Special focus will be on:
- Dissemination of the results through 1) Scientific publication(s) and 2) presentations at scientific conferences
- Interaction between WPs: in addition to the activities belonging to individual WP, many interactions are foreseen between the WPs, e.g. by transferring fundamental results to the more applied WPs, and by using insights from one WP in another WP.