Functionality and quality -enhanced oats and faba beans for food industry
FABulOATS
The FABulOATS project responds to the growing global demand for plant-based foods and aims to create a significant competitive advantage for the Finnish food industry. The project combines modern genomic breeding technologies and in-depth raw material knowledge in collaboration with Finnish plant breeders and food companies. The aim is to improve the raw material properties of oats and faba beans, develop new varieties and improve the manageability of industrial processes.
The main objectives of the project are
- To study the chemical, sensory and techno-functional properties of oat and faba bean varieties and assess their suitability for new food applications.
- Define new breeding targets based on the identified characteristics.
- Develop genomic breeding methods, such as gene editing and genome selection, taking into account the interaction between the environment and the genome.
- In-depth analysis of the role of lipids and starch in quality development.
The project will focus on generating information on the characteristics of existing varieties and developing recommendations for specific uses that can be used directly by companies for product development and production management. It also aims to create a collaborative model combining research and industrial product development to promote the export of plant-based foods.
FABulOATS will provide tools and know-how to the food industry and plant breeders to support new product development and international competitiveness. The project is expected to generate significant business and export opportunities, particularly for oat and faba bean products, which are growing rapidly in global market value.
