Proteins are an important part of our daily diet. In today’s eating patterns in Germany, proteins mainly come from animal sources such as meat, eggs, and dairy products.
Given the growing world population, increasing protein demand, limited resources, and the environmental impact of intensive animal farming, developing and using sustainable protein sources is becoming increasingly important.
The networking and transfer program PIONEER (Protein Innovation for Sustainable Nutrition) supports 27 research and development projects focused on alternative protein sources for human nutrition. The goal of PIONEER is to strengthen the transfer of knowledge between the innovation projects funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH), create synergies, and promote innovation through interdisciplinary exchange.
PIONEER brings together key research areas on alternative protein sources and focuses on innovative approaches, sustainable technologies, and practical solutions for the future food. Alternative protein sources include plant-based proteins, cultivated proteins, fermented proteins, and insect proteins. In addition, cross-cutting topics such as sustainability, consumer acceptance, and societal change are also considered within the PIONEER project.
The initiative is commissioned by the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE), funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH), and implemented together with the German Agricultural Society (DLG) and the Food-Processing Initiative (FPI). The Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) is responsible for the scientific evaluation of the funding program, prepares generalizable knowledge on alternative protein sources, coordinates public relations activities, and develops recommendations for action.
