PROSEED
PROSEED - Circular-based alternative PROtein extraction from grape SEEDs – is a past European project that aimed at the production and commercialisation of a new alternative protein product. PROSEED has received funding from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, under Horizon Europe, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
The project’s key objective was to turn spent grape seeds from the wine industry into a circular, plant-based protein ingredient for food and beverage applications.It showed how an abundant, low-value side stream can become a high-value component in Europe’s alternative protein landscape.
About the project
Every year, wineries generate large amounts of grape seeds that are typically treated as waste or used in very low-value applications. PROSEED brings together CAVIRO and a consortium of technology providers, research organisations and food companies to redesign this part of the value chain. Using an innovative bioprocess based on ultrasound-assisted extraction and a tailored detannification step, the project produces a new grape-seed protein ingredient that can be scaled from pilot to industrial level.
Beyond the core processing technology, PROSEED includes work on characterising the nutritional and functional properties of the ingredient, testing it in different product prototypes and evaluating its environmental footprint. Early comparisons indicate a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions versus conventional animal-based proteins, while also offering the advantage of a naturally gluten-free ingredient that fits current clean-label trends.
WHAT AIMS TO ACHIEVE
PROSEED aimed to demonstrate that grape seeds can support a scalable, commercially attractive alternative protein ingredient that fits within existing wine-industry infrastructures. By developing a robust bioprocess and validating it through real product applications, the project wanted to prove that a side stream currently seen as a disposal problem can instead become a new revenue line for wineries and processors.
At the same time, PROSEED contributed to Europe’s broader protein strategy by offering a locally sourced, plant-based ingredient that can replace imported or higher-impact proteins in selected value chains. The project connected technical performance, sustainability metrics and market demand, so that the final ingredient is not only feasible in the lab but also competitive and relevant for industry.
In doing so, PROSEED supports the transition towards more circular food systems, where industrial by-products are systematically reconsidered as resources and integrated into new, higher-value applications rather than being lost as waste.
MAGFI’S CONTRIBUTION
Magfi participated in PROSEED as the partner responsible for communication, dissemination and visual identity (the project “marketing” function). From the proposal phase onwards, we worked with the coordinator to ensure that the technical ambition around grape-seed proteins was clearly connected to EIT Food’s priorities on circularity, alternative proteins and climate impact, and that the narrative was consistent across partners and work packages.
During implementation, Magfi translated this framework into concrete tools: the project’s visual identity, stationery and digital presence; press releases and news items produced with CAVIRO; factsheets, slide decks and other materials used at events and partner meetings. Our role was to make the PROSEED story easy to understand for different audiences – from winemakers and food manufacturers to investors and policy stakeholders – while keeping the scientific and sustainability aspects accurate.
We also contributed to the reflection on post-project exploitation by helping partners articulate the value proposition of the new protein ingredient, the potential markets and the link with wider discussions on alternative proteins and circular bioeconomy, so that PROSEED’s outcomes can feed into future investments and collaborations once the funded activity ends.
For more information on this project, please visit the website: proseedprotein.eu.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND DISCLAIMER
PROSEED is an EIT Food project that has received funding from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, under Horizon Europe, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. The project has received funding under KAVA n° 22062-23.
Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of EIT Food.