The University of Turin strengthens its efforts to revolutionize the food industry: it’s the only Italian institution among the founders of the European consortium EIT Food, and also the winner of the Food4Future competition.

The promoter of the competition, the European Institute for Technological Innovation (EIT), has selected the best proposal for the creation of a scientific and technological reference community on diet, which will create sustainable food supply chains through revolutionary initiatives of business innovation and of university and vocational training.

The result is the consortium EIT Food, made up of 50 members of the European Union and associated countries, in a partnership of leading companies of this sector, universities and research institutions, that will work together for 7 years with an investment of 1.2 billion euros, in addition to 400 million euros from funds that the European Commission allocated for the initiative.

The goal of the consortium is to transform the way we produce, distribute and consume, thus creating a sustainable ecosystem that protects consumers’ right to a healthy diet and, at the same time, takes care of the environmental sustainability; all this should also have positive effects on the competition of European economy on global scale.

The project concerns the university and not only in the research field.
Among the EIT FOOD objectives there are:

  • The creation of curricula for students and professionals in the food manufacturing sector
  • The implementation of international exchange programs for students in the sector
  • The launch of a Master of Science in Food Systems (Food Systems)
  • Activation of interactive courses, workshops, as well as MOOCs SPOCS online
  • Incentives to new businesses (startups)

The University of Turin, as member of EIT FOOD, will play an active role in shaping the future of nutrition, which is a priority in the agenda of the European Commission. It will deliver cutting-edge European skills to reshape the European food industry in terms of health benefits and sustainability, in order to transform the “produce-use-throw” system into a new circular bio-economy model.

According to Peter van Bladeren, Vice President Nestec, Global head Regulatory and Scientific Affairs for Nestlé and Chair of the Interim Supervisory Board of EIT Food: “The EIT Food is committed to create the future curriculum for students and food professionals as a driving force for innovation and business creation; this will give the food manufacturing sector, which accounts for 44 million jobs in Europe, a unique competitive edge“.