A new ecosystem for circular and sustainable functional foods – Alliance for scientific excellence in all EU member states
The EU project CIRC4FOOD brings together 20 partners from science, industry and innovation clusters across ten countries, with a focus on sustainable food systems. The alliance also addresses disparities in research and innovation across Europe. Its purpose is to strengthen the so-called widening countries, empowering them to act as drivers of excellence in the transition to sustainable food systems. This involves modernising partner universities, establishing interdisciplinary research hubs and promoting entrepreneurship. The digital transformation is supported through the use of artificial intelligence and digital twins. Living Labs ensure public participation. CIRC4FOOD aims to bridge the innovation gap and boost competitiveness. The proposed solutions are in line with the European Green Deal.
This project was approved under the European Excellence Initiative (EEI), Call HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-01. The aim is to enable universities to act as agents of change in research and development. The project is expected to start in October 2026.
Contribution from Hannover focuses on the application of scientific knowledge and data-driven development
An the Leibniz University Hannover (LUH), the Institute of Food and One Health (FOH) with Prof. Dr. Tuba Esatbeyoglu and the L3S Research Center with research group leader Dr. Daniel Kudenko are involved. Altogether, FOH plays a key role in ensuring that CIRC4FOOD not only generates scientific findings, but also makes them easily accessible, inclusive and useable, while also translating them into long-term standards and policy processes. Within the CIRC4FOOD project, L3S is involved as a partner in the data- and AI-related work packages and contributes to the development of a high-performance digital research and innovation environment.
- Inclusion and accessibility in education
Objective: to create an inclusive learning environment
Measures: developing guidelines for accessible training programmes (both physical and digital), providing support for individuals with disabilities, and promoting diversity and gender equality - Data systems and infrastructure
Objective: to establish a unified data structure and improving data access
Measures: participation in a shared virtual infrastructure network, defining standards based on FAIR principles, developing a governance model, ensuring data protection and ethical requirements - AI-driven analysis and optimisation
Objective: to improve circular food systems through AI solutions
Measures: development of AI analysis tools, digital twins and the ‘Virtual Circular Food Lab’, modelling and simulation of complex processes - Standardisation and policy feedback
Objective: to translate scientific findings into standards and policy recommendations;
Measures: coordination of the development of technical specifications, integration into European standardisation processes, drafting of position papers to support policy-makers
Europe-wide collaboration: project partners
Universities: Ethnicon Metsovion Polytechnion in Greece – as Coordinator; University Of Peloponnese in Greece, Universitatea De Stiinte Agricole Si Medicina Veter in Romania, Agricultural University of Plovdiv in Bulgaria, Yildiz Technical University in Turkey, Slovenska Technicka Univerzita V Brathislave in Slovakia, Faculty Of Agriculture, University Of Belgrade in Serbia, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) in Finland, Aarhus Universitet in Denmark and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover in Germany.
Institutions and companies: Turkiye Bilimsel Ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu in Turkey, Prinsus I.K.E. Technovlastos in Greece, Yiotis Anonimos Emporiki & Viomixaniki Etaireia in Greece, Biozoon GmbH in Germany, Ketmarket GmbH in Germany, Ena Symvouloi Anaptyxis G P in Greece, The National Institute for Earth Physics in Romania, EIT Food in Belgium, Poslovno Tehnoloski Inkubator Tehnickih Fakulteta in Serbia and the Center of Competence AgriFoodSystems and Bioeconomy in Bulgaria.
