Plant-based Proteins for Health and Wellbeing (PAN Sweden)

Research Project, 2025 – 2029

Efforts to limit the environmental impact from animal-based food include a shift towards the production and consumption of plant-based proteins. However, plant-based proteins may be inferior to animal-based ones with respect to their health effects and perceived taste.PAN Sweden’s goal is to clarify the relationship between processing, structure, bioavailability, digestion and fermentation of proteins and dietary fibre, and health effects in terms of gut, metabolic and mental health. Furthermore, sensory and consumer behaviour aspects as well as how policy, strategies and regulations can support the transition towards plant-based proteins, will be studied.Our core approach is the further development and application of a comprehensive and integrated model/method “toolbox” that facilitates innovations within plant-based products and dietary fibre with proven benefits for health and wellbeing but also being the preferred choice of the consumer.PAN Sweden’s vision is that sustainable-produced food with health benefits will be the consumers’ preferred choice. We bundle a globally unique set of interdisciplinary competence and infrastructure overarching food, nutritional, technical, medical, behavioural and political sciences. Our approach provides Sweden an exclusive chance to successfully build the knowledge, competence and skills to become a leading global player in plant-based food development and consumption.