• With the participation of the companies CARINSA, La Selva, Monells, NOEL, Enplater, TPL, Kao Chimigraf, ULMA, Bon Preu Esclat, Ametller Origen, IRTA, MULTIVAC, Hispack, FECIC and Packaging Cluster

• The project will minimize food waste from cooked meat products, thus providing better resource efficiency and waste reduction

In the context of the alarming data provided by the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), according to which 40% of food produced ends up as waste, representing between 8 and 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions and that 2.1 billion tonnes of food will be lost or wasted by 2030, the OXICOOK project aims to combat this.

The main objective of the OXICOOK project, an operational group of the European Partnership for Innovation in Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (AEI-Agri) funded by the European Union, is to study different strategies to minimize the waste of sliced cooked meat products packaged in a protective atmosphere during their commercial shelf life.

To achieve this objective, the following objectives have been set: first, to diagnose the current starting situation of sliced cooked meat products on the sales shelves, that is, to study the products of interest in the project in the European market (MINTEL) and the interaction between the characteristics of the shelves and the quality of the products. Second, to identify and quantify the critical process parameters related to the color stability of sliced products during their shelf life, consisting of the packaging process, storage and distribution and sale on the shelves. Next, process strategies will be developed to minimize product discoloration, both through the formulation and packaging of the products. Next, the aim is to implement at an industrial pilot level the best combination of process strategies for each of the cooked meat products studied in the project. Finally, it is planned to disseminate the results and transfer them to the sector, to raise awareness in the industry and promote scalability and replicability.

To make this possible, a multi-sector consortium has been generated involving different actors that are part of, on the one hand, the value chain of the agri-food industry, with Carinsa as leaders of the operational group and La Selva, Monells and NOEL as other beneficiary members, producers and packers of the meat industry. On the other hand, actors of the value chain of the Packaging sector, with Enplater, TPL, Kao Chimigraf, ULMA and Multivac, accompanied by collaborative technological research with the Institute of Agro-Food Research and Technologies, IRTA. And with the support of Bon Preu Esclat and Ametller Origen as establishments specialized in food. Also part of it are associative entities and business groups, with the Packaging Cluster, as coordinator, and Hispack and FECIC as communication support entities.

The innovative pilot project, which is expected to last 2 years, will allow the development of more robust sliced cooked meat products through the combination of strategies that include product formulation, selection and adaptation of materials and packaging parameters that allow for color stability during marketing, while also learning about the impact of the new LED lighting systems that the distribution has adopted and how to minimize their effect to avoid waste of the products on display. All this, without affecting food safety, shelf life and sensory characteristics, thanks to the addition of bioprotective cultures and/or ingredients with antioxidant potential.

The synergies established in this project, as well as the comprehensive approach taking into account all aspects that lead to food degradation, will contribute to the overall success of microbiologically perishable product strategies and the reduction of food waste and the environmental impact it entails.

Project co-financed by the European Union through intervention 7161 of the CAP Strategic Plan (PEPAC) 2023-2027