Wageningen Alternative Protein podcast

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we team up with VALPRO Path to look at their 4 years of work and answer the questions:- What physical and yield risks does a farmer face when choosing faba beans or peas over wheat or corn?- Is farmer hesitation purely about money, or do habits and path dependency play a role?- What challenges does a miller face handling locally grown legumes?- Can multi-year contracts fix the risk imbalance, or do they create new problems?- How can policy and corporate ESG budgets help share the risk?Joining the conversation:Dr Ewen Mullins, VALPRO Path Coordinator, Head of Crop Science Department at TeagascDr Richard Lynch, VALPRO Path Project Manager, European Project Manager at TeagascMaurizio Peila, Sales Director at MOLINO PEILA SPAModerated by Melania Zanforlin and Michaela Wu.

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when "vegan" labels become consumer stop signs rather than an innovation? And what does it really take to move alternative proteins from niche to mainstream?In this episode of the Wageningen Alternative Protein Podcast (WAPP), we sit down with Arlind Xhelili, Project Manager at the Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP). Arlind’s insights from the EU-funded LIKE-A-PRO project shed light on the different factors shaping alternative protein choices and the conditions that can support wider uptake. Among others, we explored:What the LIKE-A-PRO Living Labs across 11 European countries tell us about the drivers and barriers shaping alternative protein choices. What happened when we tested choice editing in a university canteen and choice expansion in supermarkets – and why changing the food environment can matter as much as changing attitudes. How restaurant menus and product positioning can make alternative protein dishes feel mainstream rather than niche – including the role of sensory, appetite-driven language.Why communication, information, and sustainability arguments alone are unlikely to be enough – and why retailers, food service providers, policymakers, and other food-system actors all have a role in creating the conditions for change.Listen now to our podcast on all podcast platforms!Find out more about CSCP here: https://www.cscp.org/And about "LIKE-A-PRO": https://www.like-a-pro.eu/  

Send us Fan Mail𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 "𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘁"? In this episode of the Wageningen Alternative Protein Podcast (WAPP), we sit down with WUR Alumna 𝗡𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗮𝘃𝗼, Research Coordinator at Bruno Cell and President of Cellular Agriculture Italy. We dive deep into the reality of the Italian political landscape, and how Nike is fighting "brain drain" by staying to build a homegrown ecosystem. Find out more about Cellular Agriculture Italy here: https://www.cellag.it/

Send us Fan MailThis episode dives into one of the most exciting frontiers in alternative proteins: 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘆. We interviewed 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗳𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗩𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲, PhD candidate at WUR’s Food Quality & Design and Food Process Engineering groups.Stefan’s research focuses on 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 β‑𝗹𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻 — a key dairy protein produced by microbes — and how it behaves during heating and gelation to create soft dairy‑like structures such as ricotta, yogurt, and mascarpone. His work sits right at the intersection of 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.If you’re curious about the future of dairy, food design, or cellular agriculture, this conversation is full of insights and inspiration.🎧 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺!

Send us Fan MailJoin Melania and Nadin this episode as they discuss with Mathilde Do Chi, a food regulation expert, about how to make regulations work for you, and navigating the complex landscape across all sectors of alternative proteins from plant based to cultivated meat and precision fermentation. 

Send us Fan MailIn this special episode we celebrate 5 years of WAPP by inviting the founders of the group. We discuss the challenges, opportunities and highlights of their time with WAPP, as well as their contributions and where they are now

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we dive into cultivated meat for pet food, in this episode we dive intoThe Bene Meat storyWhy and how cultivated pet food makes senseRegulatory and practical challenges of cultivated meatClarification on regulatory approvals: when referring to approvals in Singapore and the US, this applies to the cultured meat sector in general, not Bene Meat specifically. Bene Meat does not currently hold regulatory approval in these regions.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we talk with Inez about her journey from studying food technology at Wageningen University to working in industry as a Spice Lab intern at Kalsec. She shares what it’s really like to transition from academia to the alt proteins sector. We also discuss the role of student–industry connections and offer practical advice for students exploring careers beyond academia. 

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we will be hosting Abhi Kumar, Program Associate for the Farm Animal Welfare Group of Open Philanthropy. We will be diving deeper into the questions:How is the trajectory of renewable energies similar to alt proteins?What is the funding situation, and where can governments help?How will the protein transition look from the policy side?Among some other details and insights from Abhi, enjoy!

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Wageningen Alternative Protein Project we speak with Lubomir Yotov, CEO of V-label, talking about the newly released C-Label and V-Label. Join us while we discuss the history of the company, the benefits of a universal labelling system, how it works, and how it can help consumer in new altenrative protein technologies.