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Innovation towards plant-based consumption - 2019
Provider: Faculty of Science

Activity no.: 5323-19-04-31 
Enrollment deadline: 01/10/2019
PlaceDepartment of Food Science
Date and time11.11.2019, at: 08:00 - 15.11.2019, at: 14:00
Regular seats20
ECTS credits5.00
Contact personHenriette Hansen    E-mail address: henha@food.ku.dk
Enrolment Handling/Course OrganiserArmando Perez-Cueto    E-mail address: apce@food.ku.dk
Exam requirements
Exam formCourse Participation; Written Assignment
Exam detailsEvaluation of reflection paper, graded with pass/not pass.
Grading scalePassed / Not passed
Course workload
Course workload categoryHours
Course Preparation40.00
Attendance40.00
Independent work45.00
Sum125.00
Content
There is now a new emerging market for innovation: the market for healthy and sustainable foods and plant-based products. Consumers from different segments are interested in acquiring foods that make a difference. There is a new demand appearing, particularly for plant-based products. According to the most recent report by Supermarket chain COOP, in 2017 8.2% of Danes (about 465,000 people) halved their meat consumption, a growth from barely 3,8% in 2010, and about 20% of their customers practice at least one “meat-free” day every week. There is hence a growth in the demand for plant-based foods.

The demand for plant-based foods has increased exponentially in the past few years. As a strong signal to the market, large companies (Nestlé, Danone, Orkla) are acquiring or developing a “sustainable” branch. It is therefore possible to assume that others will follow within the coming 5 years. The ingredients sector will also have to consider diversification towards plant-based ingredients (e.g. proteins) due to the demand by emerging consumer groups like vegans and flexitarians. And last, but not least, the huge EU food sector will have to address specifically the effect of social media on consumer trust,

According to FoodNavigator, the number of flexitarians is rising (those who choose to eat less meat mainly for sustainability reasons), calling for alternative proteins. Plant-based proteins (soy, pulses, etc.) and insects are now hot topics in product development. The same source suggests that according to www.visiongain.com the meat substitutes market reached a value of 3.57 billion Euros in 2016 . Even some former meat companies are making now vegetarian food.

Therefore, this course is timely since it touches a hot topic, which is relevant to society, industry and consumers in general. It is relevant to the field of Food Science in that it brings forth the current commitments towards healthier and more sustainable food systems and will constitute a platform for UCPH participation and contribution to shaping the food scene in Denmark and EU. This course is inscribed in the strategy Gastronomy 2025 of the Danish Ministry of Food & Environment, and the EU FOOD 2030 Agenda.

Focus is on the following thematic areas:

Plant-based diets and their health outcomes. Data from longitudinal studies will be presented and discussed. Special focus will be given to the implications for policy, innovation, the environment and consumers of the most recent findings in favour of plant-based dietary choices.

Plant-based and sustainability: Focus will be given to the role of dietary choices on the environment and on interventions to promote more sustainable food choices.

Plant-based and consumers: Demand of new products and concepts by growing segments of vegan, flexitarian and plant-based consumers. As the demand for plant-based foods grows, supply by the private sector should follow. Understanding consumers and their current attitudes, preferences and values is key for effective product innovation, healthy and sustainable eating promotion and for sustained behavioural changes.

Plant-based and innovation: Gastronomy and innovation towards plant-based foods on the grounds of sensory characteristics, but also taking into account cultural aspects, local produce and consumer demand. Specific processes at gastronomy lab and in the design of dishes will be presented.

Plant-based and technology: State of the art processing of plant-based proteins and additional plant-based ingredients for a new generation of food products.

Field visits: To better understand the current market environment and market actors dealing with the promotion of plant based foods, but also the retail sector responding to a growing demand for such products. A detailed programme can be obtained from the course organiser.

When available, the final programme will be published in the link below:
https://food.ku.dk/english/calender/events/phd-course-5-ects-innovation-towards-plant-based-consumption/

Learning outcome
Knowledge

• The role of plant-based diets in the prevention of chronic disease, the evidence from cohort studies
• Consumers segments and plant-based food consumption (vegetarians, flexitarians, vegans and omnivores)
• Innovation in plant-based foods
• State of art in plant-based foods processing
• The retail sector challenges towards plant based products
• The citizen organisations and promotion of plant based diets

Skills

• Able to develop consumer data collection and analysis
• Able to provide a written essay on the relevance of the topic for own PhD research, use of scientific publications as evidence and overall reflection on the course

Competences

• Able to understand and apply scientific literature as evidence base for action at policy, consumer and innovation levels
• Able to reflect on the importance of gastronomy and innovation as drivers for plant-based eating

Teaching and learning methods
Combined pre-course preparation and reading, confrontation (lectures and workshops), and final reflection paper.

Lecturers
UCPH lecturers

• Associate Professor Armando Perez-Cueto, Department of Food Science, Design & Consumer Behaviour Section (course organizer)
• Associate Professor Karsten Olsen, Department of Food Science, Design & Consumer Behaviour Section

Guest lecturers

• Professor Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez. University of Navarra, Harvard University
• Professor Ian Rowland. University of Reading, UK. Editor of Eur J Nutr
• Professor Markus Keller, IFANE, Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM) GmbH
• Dr. Albrecht Wolfmeyer. ProVeg Incubator

Workload
40 hours: confrontation/workshops
40 hours: preparation
45 hours: writing of reflection and literature review

125 hours in total

Remarks
Preparation:

Reading material will be provided. Students are expected to be aware/acquainted with existing cohort studies like PREDIMED, Adeventist Studies I & II, Nurses Health Study, EPIC, EPIC-Panacea, etc. Students should read the material prior to the course and participate actively in the discussions, plenary sessions and workshops. Students should reflect on the relevance of the subject to their own PhD research, shape their literature study and match with the contents of the course. Students should reflect on whether the contents of the course have changed their own attitudes and approach to the issue of plant-based eating.

Participation fees:

Academia: 1000 DKK
Large companies: 4000 DKK
Danish start-ups on plant-based food: 2000 DKK

Participation fees for academia are to cover expenses for lunch and material provided during the course. The course itself is free of charge for academia.

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