PIMENTO

Promoting Innovation of ferMENTed fOods

The long-term goal of PIMENTO is to place Europe at the spearhead of innovation on microbial foods, promoting health, regional diversity, local production at different scales.

What are the bottlenecks which are limiting the innovation in Fermented Foods? Let’s find out!

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About Action

Introduction
to the PIMENTO Action

Description

Present in all European diets, fermented foods (FF) holds a strategic place due to the benefits they offer in terms of nutrition, sustainability, innovation, cultural heritage and consumer interest.

Objectives

The long-term vision is to place Europe as the spearhead of fermented foods (FF), promoting health, sustainability, regional diversity, and innovation.

Background

Fermented foods (FF) have played a key role in human diets for millennia. Historically, the main role of the fermentative microorganisms was to counteract the action of spoilage or pathogenic microorganisms

Structure

The work plan is structured into 5 Working Groups (WGs).

Structure

Meet our
working groups

WG1 - Build a multi-actor operational network

An operational and dynamic network of varied types of actors is the first key to fulfilling the objectives of the Action. For that purpose, WG1 will be in charge of building human connections, collective engagement of the objectives (common vision), improved relevance of the network coverage, and efficient tools for communication/co-working to maintain a dynamic beyond regular meetings.

WG2 - Cartography of Fermented Foods in the diet of COST Countries

The role of Fermented Foods (FF) in the diet of the participating COST members, from North to South and from East to West is enormously variable and has been shaped through centuries, by geographical, climate, historical, social and religious elements.

WG3 - Health benefits and risks of fermented foods

WG3 aims to answer the following questions: i) What is the most recent state-of-the-art in terms of scientific evidence of nutritional and health benefits conferred by FF? ii) How can safety aspects be integrated into risk/benefit analyses of FF? iii) How can research data on the health risks/benefits of FF be aligned with the consumption of FF across PIMENTO countries to foster the integration of fermented foods in nutritional public health strategies?

WG4 - Federating scientists and Fermented Food producers to boost innovation for society

Fermentation is a sustainable process which does not require heavy equipment and is thus accessible to SMEs or local producers for innovation. The functional biodiversity of safe microorganisms characterised during the past decades represents a promising basis for products development and innovations in response to consumer’s expectations. WG4 will explore how to facilitate and foster these innovations for producers and society.

WG5 - Dissemination, training & events

For the long-term impact of the Action, WG5 will support broad dissemination, training and events.

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Joining our COST Action?

COST Action PIMENTO welcomes research-active scientists working in the field. There are many ways to get involved.
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Open Calls

See Availiable Open Calls

First Call for Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM) and ITC Conference Grants (ITC CG)

May 2022 – October 2022
The deadline for applications is 30th April 2022