With a turnover of SEK 200 billion and 55,000 people employed, the food industry is the country's third largest industry. There are around 4600 processing enterprises in the sector and only 650 of them employ more than ten people. It is thus an important sector where any change can have an impact on society at large. 

As a research and business developer at RISE, Charlotte Eklund-Jonsson works to build networks and systems that facilitate innovations and sustainable development. One of the goals is to achieve collaboration throughout the value chain from farm to fork – from primary production, through processing of the products and on to sales in trade or in restaurants. 

"Everyone we talk to sees the benefits of collaboration and innovation, but there are of course obstacles along the way. But it is not obvious for an entrepreneur to talk innovation with their supplier or customer. They are used to being each other's counterparts and now they are suddenly going to cooperate," says Charlotte Eklund-Jonsson. 

"If you are going to develop completely new business and cooperation models, it is advantageous to have an independent party involved. Here at RISE we can help with both facilitation or coordination and our expertise. 

Increased knowledge about innovation 

Within the centre initiative FINEST, Chalmers, Uppsala University and RISE develop knowledge about innovation in the food sector together with a number of companies in the food chain. The project started in 2020 and runs over four years. Something that the project wants to address is that risks and opportunities look different for different actors. Charlotte Eklund-Jonsson gives an example: 

“If an entrepreneur wants to start bean cultivation or develop a new product based on beans, the entire risk often lies with the individual company because the trade can say "sorry it didn't sell, come back when you have a new product". Here, the value chain can help each other. 

Investments must be anchored 

The purchase of tools is another example. A farmer who is thinking of investing in a new combine harvester to grow completely new crops needs to ensure that other actors are willing to refine and resell the product. 

The success that FINEST wants to contribute to is measured in financial terms, but also in terms of sustainability. 

"It's not just climate, just health, just biodiversity. All at the same time. And that is why we need to include many different actors who can contribute with their skills. Both to future-proof their specific businesses, but also to be involved and take responsibility for a more sustainable world.” 

Charlotte Eklund-Jonsson emphasizes that the knowledge that the actors in the value chain contribute complements the expertise that RISE and its partners stand for. “To know how it works practically on a farm, in a factory or in a shop is necessary to take into account when new models for collaboration are to take shape. Everyone is needed.” 

Daring to test more at an early stage is an important experience that Charlotte Eklund-Jonsson and her colleagues at RISE have drawn so far in the FINEST project. 

"We need to move faster. There is an impatience in the industry that we need to respond to. Impatience is a symptom that they want to be involved and make a difference. They want to develop good and sustainable products that all consumers can and want to eat. I get a warm, cosy feeling from that ambition.”

The number of people with overweight and obesity continues to increase. This in turn increases the risk of several future chronic diseases – not least among children and youngsters. The Public Health Agency of Sweden has pointed out healthy eating as an opportunity to prevent, for example, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and even mental illness. 

Diet is a complex issue 

What must we eat to feel good is something most of us know. But it's not quite as simple as just having knowledge of advice and recommendations.  

"There is a lot of information, and if we had eaten according to it, the incidence of the problems we see would have been lower. But what we eat and why is more complex than that. We are affected by so many factors, such as availability, portions that get bigger and bigger, advertising and the food messages we encounter – what we see advertising for is often not fruit and vegetables, but calorie-dense food,” says Maria Biörklund Helgesson, researcher in sustainable consumption and production at RISE. 

But then what is a healthy eating habit? Basically, it is about the food on our plate being fibre-rich and nutrient-dense, and for the most part coming from the plant kingdom. A diet that also contributes to a more sustainable food production. To find examples of that type of food, we don't have to look far away. The Nordic pantry contains a number of ingredients and cooking traditions that provide both a sustainable and healthy plate.  

The Nordic pantry shows the way 

In an EU-funded project, Switch, RISE and other partners are working towards a shift towards healthy and sustainable eating habits and dietary behaviour. With Denmark as the initiator, they have formulated the manifesto "New Nordic Food" – a gastronomic manifesto highlighting the Nordic ingredients and cooking techniques that have been developed over a long period of time, such as acidification and pickling. Methods that are a little forgotten but often are both sustainable and healthy.  

"But New Nordic Food is also about the raw materials, that we should eat more from the plant kingdom and more of what is around us, such as fish, shellfish, mussels, seaweed, wild plants and animals, root vegetables, berries, cabbage, peas, beans, rapeseed oil and meat that has been produced in a good way. Food that grows and is grown here. That food is both healthy and sustainable. We should become better at using what is around the corner, and which is also not dependent on a functioning import chain,” says Maria Biörklund Helgesson. 

Several actions interact – not least innovation 

In order to reverse the trend, a number of measures are required. It can be anything from political decisions such as subsidies for healthy food and higher taxes on unhealthy food, that commercial forces such as food companies, grocery stores and restaurants take greater responsibility for what they expose, clear labelling of food in stores or to start with the children. 

“What do we expose our children to in terms of food and food messages? Today they are met with soft drinks, fast food and various temptations every day. Not everyone can handle it," says Maria Biörklund Helgesson. 

New, innovative foods also play an important role in development. At RISE, research and projects are conducted on all parts of the food system, from primary production to product development. It can be about how to reduce salt in different products, how to develop meat substitutes or what our public meals should contain.  

Develop raw materials and products we are not used to eating 

An important part is about developing raw materials and products that we are not so used to using, such as seaweed, algae and insects. Or that the industry processes more of the animals that are raised for consumption and the consumer chooses to eat more parts.  

"In the past, you ate a lot more of the animal, you had a lot of respect for the animal you raised and followed until slaughter. They did not take the best pieces and threw away the rest, but there was pâté, slow cooking, broth and stews of all parts. But it must be done in a way that appeals to those of us who live now, and it must be good,” says Maria Biörklund Helgesson, who believes that we generally need to eat less meat, and when we do, choose meat such as naturally grazed.  

“We need to eat more vegetables but that doesn't mean everyone has to become vegetarians. In meat and fish there are many minerals and vitamins that are difficult to get enough of otherwise, especially for the elderly, sick, children during growth or pregnant women.” 

The agricultural sector accounts for about 15 percent of Sweden's total greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, emissions of methane and nitrous oxide from animals’ feed digestion, manure management and nitrogen conversion in soil consist of emissions from animal feed. 

Björn Ringselle is a researcher at RISE with a focus on, among other things, crop production, plant protection and biodiversity. He stresses the importance of increasing domestic production instead of relying on imports of food, feed, energy and other inputs, such as manure.  

"If we produce by ourselves, we have greater opportunities to do so in an environmentally smart manner and with traceability, while society can better handle war and other disruptions in supply chains.

For example, Swedish farms can produce their own energy and manure," says Björn Ringselle.  

Social sustainability an important aspect 

In order to create sustainable agriculture, at least three sustainability aspects need to be taken into account; environmental, economic and social. Social sustainability includes, among other things, the goal of more jobs in rural areas and a focus on a better working environment and good animal health.  

Björn Ringselle points out that there are things to do at farm level that can benefit both the climate and profitability, but that the measures often require difficult trade-offs. 

"They can provide great environmental benefits, but take time and money to carry out. The low profitability of agriculture is in many cases a brake on moving to more environmentally friendly technology and methodology. 

Swedish natural pasture and grassland contribute to increased biodiversity

A typical example is feed, where imported feed (such as soy) is linked to environmental degradation, while Swedish natural pasture and grassland – that is, grass and legumes – can contribute to carbon storage and increased biodiversity. 

Several projects are currently underway for technology and method development, with the goal of increasing the profitability of grassland production. This is done by finding alternative uses for the grassland, such as substitute products for the soya-based protein feed that is currently given to pigs and poultry, ethanol, bio-oil and biogas. The development work is also about making it easier and cheaper to use grazing animals, including with the help of virtual fences. 

"Grazing animals that feel good and are healthy give good yields and lower climate impact," says Björn Ringselle. 

Swedish agriculture is currently 25 percent fossil-free. Within the framework of the government initiative Fossil-free Sweden, LRF (Lantbrukarnas Riksförbund - Federation of Swedish Farmers) has adopted the goal that Swedish agriculture shall be fossil-free by 2030. 

Machinery powered by renewable fuels 

The transition requires, among other things, investments in new machinery powered by renewable fuels and eventually by electricity. Given the high price of diesel, it can be a financial incentive for those who are going to change, according to Björn Ringselle. 

Anna-Karin Karlsson is project manager at RISE and in the national centre for information SustAinimal. She sees an increased interest in the future role of food-producing animals in a more resilient, sustainable and profitable food system.  

"Sweden is an elongated country and the conditions for food production look very different in terms of climate, what land there is and what crops can be grown. The amount of agricultural land and natural pasture has decreased and species, which only thrive on natural pastures, are at risk of being lost. Only grazing animals can keep the natural pastures alive," says Anna-Karin Karlsson. 

SustAinimal shall investigate relevant solutions for food security in different regions of Sweden and what ability the food system has to deliver food and ecosystem services if something unforeseen happens, such as extreme weather or crises. 

“Anyone who has a business idea or wants further inspiration can contact me or one of my colleagues at RISE, where we are both a research institute and a business partner. We are happy to help with both development and testing of technology to contribute to more sustainable farms,” says Björn Ringselle. 

The way we use plastic needs to change. Single-use plastic can today have major consequences for animals and nature when it turns into garbage. And there is a lot of litter – about 85% of marine litter in the EU is made up of plastic.  

Agriculture can complement the forest for plastic substitutes. Therefore, the need for alternatives to plastic is great. A possible and proven replacement is wood fibre from the forest, but today the competition for the raw material that the forest provides is great, and the price is relatively high. Can there instead be residual streams that can be made of material, that grow relatively quickly and which are also a cheap raw material that would otherwise be lost?

The answer can be found in agriculture, a large industry with several different untapped residual streams, for example from crops such as sugar beet, wheat bran, oat husks and reeds. Today, some are used as animal feed, but much is burned or thrown away. In many cases, these can work at least as well as wood to make new materials from.  

"One example is cider presses, which have lots of peels that are thrown away but can be turned into vegan leather. There are also international examples where residues from corn production become barrier materials for packaging," says Juhanes Aydin, Head of Unit at RISE. 

Beer production can provide raw material for several different materials  

In some cases, it is a matter of using the rest as it is, but most often processing and refining are needed to produce different fractions such as fibre, carbohydrates, fats and proteins. They, in turn, become building elements for new materials that act as, for example, packaging. 

"Breweries get a lot of draff (a by-product of beer production) left over from their processes, where we look at what else can be gained from the leftovers. What you can extract in the form of fibres or proteins in turn indicates what type of material you can make," says Juhanes Aydin. 

The fact that the various side streams of agriculture contain more than just fibre, makes them versatile and attractive as raw materials in packaging.  

"The material has different character depending on what it is, there are big differences in properties and it is needed – it is not always water that the packaging should be a barrier to, it can be things like oil or oxygen. This places different demands and then it is important to have access to materials with different properties,” says Juhanes Aydin, who also mentions the aesthetic aspect as important – if a package is made of oat husks, you often want it to be visible, not least for marketing purposes. 

"I am quite sure that there will be a great demand for products made of these materials. Not least when it comes to packaging for food from grocery stores or restaurants. There is no need to choose wood over materials from agriculture,” says Juhanes Aydin. 

Much remains to be done – but the expertise is there 

Different businesses need to find their area of use and model and then use RISE's experts in different ways:  

"We test how to extract different components and get the right properties, help with prototypes, look at how this can work in an existing process, do life cycle analyses and review business models and profitability," says Juhanes Aydin.  

Sweden's focus on wood fibre has meant that there is so far no reprocessed chain to take advantage of agricultural residues in an efficient way. 

"In Germany and Holland, these residual streams are much more exploited. There, for example, manufacturers of vegan leather go around and pick up the material from different farmers and then refine it," says Juhanes Aydin.

Various species of grass and legumes, known as forage crops, are currently grown on almost half of Sweden's arable land. However, as the number of cows and sheep has declined, we are now unable to utilise the quantities produced.  

– It's problematic from several perspectives. The profitability of our farmers, biodiversity, resource utilisation...,’ says Pär-Johan Lööf.

Seeking new ways to harness the potential of plants 

That is why Lantmännen is looking for new ways to harness the potential of plants. Legumes are particularly important from a crop rotation perspective and for biodiversity in the landscape. 

– In sustainable agriculture, crops must be varied in order to achieve maximum productivity and sustainability. Spring and autumn sowing needs to be mixed with perennial crops to create an environment where weeds and harmful insects cannot adapt and cause damage, says Pär-Johan Lööf. 

That is why the project involving ley crops, which is being conducted in collaboration with RISE, was launched with practical trials in the laboratory and at the test facility at Sötåsen Agricultural College in Västergötland. Knowledge and methods for producing ethanol, bio-oil and biogas from the fibres in forage crops already exist. For the past couple of years, trials have been underway to use a screw press to separate the protein in the plants from the fibres – before these are turned into fuel.  

By extracting the protein, you obtain a raw material that can be fed to pigs and chickens – animals that otherwise cannot utilise the protein in plants. 

– Their stomachs cannot break down grass and legumes in the same way as ruminants such as cows and sheep. However, they can absorb the protein if it is first extracted from the plants. 

New type of domestic feed raw material 

This extraction process could lead to a new type of domestic feed raw material – and, in the long term, even a new foodstuff for humans. 

– Today, a lot of imported protein raw materials are used, which poses sustainability challenges. We are also dependent on protein that is grown very far away and is therefore sensitive to world market prices, disruptions and unrest in the surrounding world, says Pär-Johan Lööf. 

– Instead, creating our own local production of proteins for our food-producing animals has many advantages, especially in the current global situation. It may even be possible to produce protein powder for human consumption in the future.   

RISE is a long-standing partner of Lantmännen and acts as an expert, primarily in process technology within the legume project. 

– It is fantastic to have RISE as a partner. Not only are they skilled in technology, but they are also skilled in collaboration to bring in expertise, both internally and externally. In addition, they are driven project managers who work in a focused manner that is appreciated in the industry, says Pär-Johan Lööf. 

– And they know how and where to apply for funding, both in Sweden and within the EU. 

The proportion of protein extracted centrally  

Lantmännen and RISE are now continuing their work to make the project commercially viable. There are still several issues to be resolved. These include the question of transport – how to get the feed from the production unit to the location where the animals are kept. And: 

– The most important factor for our success is the so-called yield, i.e. how much protein we manage to extract from the raw material. If the yield is too low, our business case will not hold up. This involves everything from methodology to which plant species is most suitable.  

Today, overfishing causes severe harm to ocean ecosystems. At the same time, fish is both tasty and healthy, and here in Scandinavia, we eat large quantities every year. Two varieties of fish are the most popular, namely tuna and salmon. 

To enable more people to eat more seafood without harming the oceans, the entrepreneurs Tom Johansson and Emil Wasteson founded Hooked Foods AB in 2019. The aim was to develop plant-based alternatives to seafood, and since salmon is a major seller, it was one of the first products the company wanted to develop. 

“However, salmon is a difficult product to mimic,” explains Peter Liu, technical director and the third founder of Hooked Foods. 

When a lack of competition is a problem 

Since it is so difficult, there were no good products on the market, and while this was positive in terms of competition, it also made development more of a challenge because there was no one to learn from. And turning to contract manufacturers was not an option. 

“We didn’t just want to be a reseller, we wanted to learn how to develop this ourselves,” Liu explains. 

At the same time, the company was a small startup with no possibility of investing in its own infrastructure, neither the extruder nor the lab equipment that would be necessary. 

“We realised that we needed a partner with all the necessary equipment, but that also had expert knowledge in everything from chemical processes through taste to texture so that we could learn and exchange experiences.” 

RISE pilot plant enabled development 

After weighing up their options, they chose RISE. 

“They had everything we needed, and they were completely independent with no interest in acquiring shares in the product we were developing. We’d own all the results ourselves, and that was extremely important to us.” 

For almost two-and-a-half years, Liu and his colleagues spent time every week with the experts at RISE, testing one recipe after another.  

“We’re experts in extrusion, and we also have a complete pilot plant where we can help companies both large and small test different recipes and products,” explains Sophia Wassén, a researcher and expert in extrusion at RISE. 

“For Hooked Foods, we’ve suggested various proteins and recipes, and together we’ve tested them, modified them, then tested them again. Put simply, we’ve acted as their combined lab and sounding board.” 

From the RISE lab out into the world 

Finally, they managed to achieve their goal together. Since autumn 2022, the Hooked Foods product Salmoonish has been on the market in both Sweden and Iceland and will soon be available in the rest of Scandinavia as well. In 2023, they will enter the German and UK markets, but Liu makes clear that none of this would have happened, and certainly not so quickly, without their partnership with RISE. 

“RISE has helped us all the way, from brainstorming at the beginning to finding the right ingredients and the right ratios. And we’ve also been able to use their equipment. Without their help, we never would’ve been able to achieve this!” 

Burgers, sausages and mince – made from soya, peas and beans. Today, we increasingly come across vegetarian options when browsing the chilled and frozen food supermarket sections. At least when visiting larger stores. And it is these burgers and other products similar to meat, known as meat analogues, that are popular with many consumers wanting to eat more vegetarian food. 

“We want to eat food that’s familiar, that we know how to cook and that tastes and feels like meat when chewed,” says Evelina Höglund, a researcher within Food Product Design at RISE. 

Höglund and her colleagues are striving to understand how plant-based proteins – primarily those found in peas and beans – behave together with fibre and other components. This knowledge is required to be able to create a fibrous texture resembling that of meat, since texture is just as important as taste.

Increased interest in Swedish ingredients 

“Many existing meat analogues are based on soya protein because it has practical properties, so there’s a wide range of soya-based ingredients on the market. We’ve also noticed an increasing interest in switching to Swedish ingredients, such as peas and beans. Although we produce a great deal of legumes in Sweden, we haven’t had any industries making ingredients from them. But we’re starting to see that now, which is positive,” says Höglund. 

As more plant-based products enter the market, we also see increasing interest in the nutritional quality of the burgers, sausages and mince made from them. 

Susanne Bryngelsson is a project manager at RISE with a focus on sustainable nutrition: 

“Some vegetarian products use fat sources that aren’t the most optimal when it comes to nutrition. They provide a good texture, but the end product isn’t particularly healthy. There are great opportunities to make a difference by choosing other ingredients. Salt content is also something that we look at.” 

Difficult for the body to absorb iron 

She underlines the fact that some nutrients found in these products may be bound or present in forms that the body is unable to use.  

“For example, many plant-based proteins contain high levels of phytic acid, which makes it difficult for the body to absorb iron.” 

Experience has taught Bryngelsson the importance of considering nutritional aspects at an early stage in the development projects that RISE pursues. One example is the Like:Meat project, which uses a fermentation process to increase nutritional quality. This technique helps, for example, by reducing phytic acid content. Like:Meat is funded by Vinnova and coordinated by RISE, with Lantmännen and Orkla as partners. 

Improved taste with mixed crops 

Back to Evelina Höglund. In her work, she has noticed the benefits of mixing different crops. For instance, in a project to develop a gluten-free pasta, Höglund and her colleagues mixed blue lupin with broad bean. This resulted in a better-tasting pasta than when using a single crop. 

“Another smart move is to mix legumes with cereals as they contain different types of amino acids, which can then complement one another,” Höglund explains. 

This summer saw the publication of the first systematic analysis of the nutritional quality of meat analogues on the Swedish market. It showed that while meat analogues generally have low saturated fat content and relatively high fibre content, they also have high salt content. The study was conducted within the FINEST project, which is funded by Formas with RISE as the coordinating partner.