Organising committee
Invitation
Proteins are indispensable constituents of food and feed. First of all, they are a source of dietary amino acids, some of which are essential for human health. They also determine the texture, appearance and taste of food products, hence they are important in meeting consumers' demand.
In view of the growing world population and the increase in per capita meat consumption, it is foreseen that current food production systems cannot meet the future demand for animal protein. Furthermore, the present systems have a large environmental impact. Consequently, a worldwide strategy change - a societal transition - is called for. Therefore, the central theme of this symposium is the design of future protein supply chains that will produce adequate amounts of protein in a more sustainable way.
The symposium is organised within the framework of the PROFETAS (Protein Foods, Environment, Technology and Society, www.profetas.nl) research programme. This is an initiative of the research schools SENSE (Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment) and VLAG (Nutrition, Food Technology, Agrotechnology and Health Sciences), which is sponsored by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV).
In the first session the expectations will be presented with regards to worldwide protein demand and strategies, including the research, required to fulfil these demands. Evidently, the strategies should be sustainable and meet the three P's (Planet, People, Profit). In the second session emphasis is on PROFETAS, its multidisciplinary approach (combining social, natural and engineering sciences), outcomes and remaining questions. In the third session the possibilities for directing stepwise societal transitions will be highlighted, both from a consumer and historical point of view. The final session is devoted to options and opportunities for the animal to plant protein transition and should result in recommendations concerning the approach and future research needed.
We warmly welcome all stakeholders involved in designing sustainable protein supply chains, both scientists and policymakers from industry, government, non-governmental and consumer organisations, universities and institutes.
Location
The symposium will be held at the Wageningen International Conference Centre (WICC), located in Wageningen ((www.wicc.nl)).
