Creating innovative bio-based ingredients is only part of MARMADE’s mission. Understanding their environmental, social, and economic impacts is equally important to ensure they contribute to a truly sustainable and circular bioeconomy.

In this edition of Voices of MARMADE, we meet Dr Benyamin Khoshnevisan from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), who leads Work Package 5 and coordinates the sustainability assessment of MARMADE solutions across their full value chains. 

“As WP5 Leader, my role is to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the sustainability performance of MARMADE solutions across their full value chains.” explains Khoshnevisan.

WP5 evaluates the environmental, social and economic impacts of marine-based food and feed ingredients. Its work follows a Safe and Sustainable by Design approach, integrating life cycle thinking from the early stages of development. 

The team applies quantitative assessment methods including Life Cycle Assessment, Social Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis. These dimensions are then integrated through Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, allowing alternative solutions to be compared and potential trade-offs between sustainability dimensions to be explored.

“This approach ensures that sustainability is systematically embedded into the development and optimization of processes and products.” Khoshnevisan

WP5 also explores the potential of AI-assisted quantitative assessment to support robust and trustworthy decision-making during the early stages of innovation. This could help researchers assess possible sustainability outcomes while technologies and processes are still being developed.

Evaluating the full life cycles of marine-based ingredients, however, involves significant challenges. Early-stage technologies are often accompanied by limited data and uncertainty regarding future technological development. Sustainability results may also be influenced by broader socio-economic changes, including the evolution of energy systems.

The complexity of marine biomass systems presents another challenge. Feedstocks can vary considerably, while different processing pathways and approaches to co-product valorisation may lead to different outcomes. In addition, comparing alternative solutions requires decisions on how environmental, social, economic and safety indicators should be weighted.

“While multiple sustainability dimensions can be assessed, determining how to weigh different indicators in decision-making remains a key question when comparing alternative solutions.” says Khoshnevisan.

Embedding these assessments throughout the development process helps MARMADE identify trade-offs, compare alternative pathways and guide the design of solutions with stronger environmental, social and economic performance.

Developing innovative bio-based ingredients is only part of MARMADE’s ambition. Ensuring that these solutions meet the needs of consumers, stakeholders, and the market is equally important. Within the project, Work Package 6 helps bridge scientific research with the people who will ultimately shape, use, and benefit from its results.

As Work Package 6 Leader, Maurizia Castellari and Alessia Carecciafrom APRE coordinate activities on stakeholder engagement, consumer acceptance, and the Multi-Actor Approach, helping ensure that MARMADE’s research is shaped through collaboration across the entire value chain.

“The focus of WP6 is to integrate stakeholders’ and consumers’ perspectives into research activities from the early stages, fostering co-creation processes and aligning product development with market needs, societal expectations, and regulatory requirements.” explain Castellari and Careccia.

To achieve this, MARMADE follows a structured engagement process that began with desk research, stakeholder mapping and the creation of a stakeholder registration platform. Throughout the project, stakeholders and end-users will continue to contribute through surveys, workshops and dedicated meetings, providing valuable feedback that supports the scientific work packages and helps shape the project’s research and innovation activities. 

Among the planned activities are two experimental kitchen sessions, where professional chefs will test the ingredients developed within MARMADE in real culinary applications. 

“These sessions will allow us to gather practical insights and validate the ingredients’ performance from a professional gastronomic perspective.” says Castellari.

Maintaining active stakeholder participation throughout a four-year project is not without challenges. Beyond identifying the right stakeholders, the project must sustain their engagement over time and ensure that their contributions are reflected in project outcomes. 

“Stakeholder fatigue can occur, but it can be effectively mitigated by making stakeholders aware that their contributions can really drive meaningful change, as well as by clearly integrating their feedback into project outcomes.” Castellari and Careccia note.

The team also highlights that engaging stakeholders in highly technical research projects requires close collaboration with the scientific partners to ensure that the right expertise is involved at every stage. 

Continuous dialogue with stakeholders and end-users helps keep MARMADE’s research grounded in real needs and expectations. In this way, WP6 strengthens the relevance, acceptance, and future market readiness of the project’s solutions.

Every successful bio-based innovation starts with the right raw materials. Within MARMADE, Work Package 1 lays the foundation for the entire project by ensuring that sustainable marine biomass is identified, characterised, and made available for the development of high-value food and feed ingredients.

As Work Package 1 Leader, Dr Erik-jan Malta from CTAQUA coordinates the activities related to biomass sourcing and sustainable cultivation, ensuring that the project has access to reliable, high-quality marine resources.

“Work Package 1 is at the basis of the activities of the other Work Packages. Our role is to identify the principal biomass sources, examine the regulatory framework, evaluate storage conditions, and establish a secure biomass supply chain.” Malta explains.

The work focuses on two key biomass streams, seaweeds and crustacean residues, while combining questionnaires, public databases, scientific literature, and specialised European platforms to better understand biomass availability and quality. The team is also investigating invasive species such as the brown macroalga Rugulopteryx okamurae and the blue crab, alongside developing protocols to optimise biomass conservation and extraction yields.

Despite the opportunities, ensuring a stable biomass supply presents several challenges. Seasonal availability, differences in biomass quality, transport logistics, and varying regulatory interpretations across Europe all influence the consistency of marine biomass supply.

“One of the main challenges is the seasonal variation in both the availability and quality of biomass. Transport logistics and differences in regulatory interpretation between Member States also need to be carefully considered.” says Malta.

By addressing these challenges from the very beginning, Work Package 1 provides the strong foundation needed for the research and innovation activities that follow. Through sustainable biomass sourcing and collaboration across the value chain, MARMADE is helping unlock the potential of marine resources and supporting Europe’s transition towards a more circular blue bioeconomy.

Behind every successful European project, there is continuous coordination, communication, and collaboration working quietly in the background.

At MARMADE, Professor Germana Borsetta from UNICAM contributes to the overall coordination and implementation of the project, helping ensure that activities across the consortium remain aligned and progress smoothly.

“My role is to support effective communication among partners, timely delivery of results, and strategic alignment across the consortium,” Germana explains. “In projects like MARMADE, flexibility, transparency, and continuous communication are essential for achieving shared objectives.”

Working within an international and multidisciplinary consortium brings both opportunities and challenges. According to Germana, one of the most important aspects is managing the diversity of expertise and working approaches across partners coming from research, industry, and innovation ecosystems.

“Each partner brings valuable perspectives and knowledge.” she says. “The challenge is to maintain momentum and coordination while respecting deadlines, quality standards, and administrative requirements.”

To support this process, MARMADE relies on structured communication, regular meetings, shared tools, and continuous interaction across activities.

“Effective collaboration depends not only on management systems, but also on trust, responsiveness, and a common vision for long-term impact.” Germana notes.

Through coordination and collaboration, MARMADE continues building the foundations for more sustainable and circular marine-based innovation.

The MARMADE consortium gathered on 17 June 2026 for its Steering Board, General Assembly and Project Meeting, coordinated by the University of Camerino (UNICAM). The meeting brought together project partners from across Europe to review the progress achieved so far, discuss ongoing activities and coordinate the next steps for the successful implementation of the project.

Throughout the meeting, partners presented updates from all Work Packages, highlighting recent achievements, ongoing research and technical developments, as well as upcoming tasks. The discussions provided an opportunity to assess progress against project objectives, exchange knowledge and ensure effective coordination across the consortium.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the consortium’s strong commitment to developing circular and bio-based solutions that contribute to more sustainable food and feed value chains. By combining scientific excellence, innovation and cross-sector collaboration, MARMADE is helping pave the way towards a more resilient and sustainable blue bioeconomy in Europe.

Stay tuned for more updates as MARMADE continues to transform marine biomass into innovative solutions that support Europe’s green and sustainable future.

Behind MARMADE lies a clear vision: to rethink how marine resources are perceived, used, and transformed within more sustainable food systems.

For Professor Sauro Vittori, the creation of MARMADE was inspired by the growing need to manage resources in a smarter, more sustainable, and more innovative way, with a particular focus on the untapped potential of marine biomass.

“MARMADE was inspired by the idea that marine wastes should no longer be considered as such, but as valuable resources for creating sustainable and innovative solutions.” Professor Vittori explains.

At the heart of the project is the ambition to foster a circular food system by combining scientific research, technological innovation, and stakeholder collaboration. Through this approach, MARMADE aims to transform marine biomass into high-value products that can deliver environmental, economic, and social benefits.

A key element of this vision is the development of a “zero residue” process, ensuring that marine resources are used efficiently and responsibly throughout the entire value chain.

The sustainable valorisation of marine biomass is particularly important for Europe today, as it supports the transition toward a circular and resource-efficient bioeconomy. Marine biomass, including algae and seafood processing wastes, remains an underexploited resource with strong potential for the development of food ingredients, bioactive compounds, and other high-value products.

“Its valorisation can reduce waste, lower environmental impacts, strengthen food system resilience, and decrease dependence on non-renewable resources.” Professor Vittori notes.

Beyond its environmental dimension, the project also highlights the economic opportunities that marine biomass can create, especially for coastal regions, while contributing to European sustainability and climate goals.

Looking ahead, MARMADE aims to contribute to a more sustainable and circular blue bioeconomy by demonstrating how marine biomass can be effectively transformed into valuable products and solutions.

“We hope the project will inspire new industrial practices, strengthen collaboration between research institutions and stakeholders, support the development of standardized protocols, and encourage policies that promote sustainable resource use.” Professor Vittori says.

Through its work, MARMADE also seeks to raise awareness of the potential of marine biomass, helping reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and generate long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits across European food and bio-based sectors.

By bringing together research, innovation, and collaboration, MARMADE continues building the foundations for a more sustainable and circular future for marine-based resources.

MARMADE participated in the CBE JU Cluster Workshop on Bio-based Food and Feed Ingredients, held in Brussels and bringing together around 60 representatives from research organisations, industry, European institutions and bioeconomy stakeholders.

The workshop focused on innovative bio-based solutions for the food, feed and nutraceutical sectors, offering a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among projects funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), Horizon Europe and other European programmes.

MARMADE was featured in the thematic session dedicated to aquatic feedstocks, alongside PROTEUS, MULTIPLY, ALLIANCE and CLEANALGAE2VALUE, which are exploring innovative ways to valorise algae and marine biomass for the development of sustainable ingredients. Discussions highlighted the importance of creating integrated and circular value chains capable of transforming marine resources into high-value products while reducing pressure on terrestrial resources.

Throughout the workshop, participants addressed key challenges facing the sector, including regulatory requirements, market uptake, industrial scale-up and consumer acceptance. At the same time, the event underlined the importance of stronger collaboration between researchers, industry, policymakers and regulatory authorities to accelerate the deployment of innovative bio-based solutions.

The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for MARMADE to exchange experiences with fellow projects, identify potential synergies and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on the future of sustainable food and feed systems in Europe.

For more information about the workshop and the discussions on the future of sustainable bio-based ingredients, visit the full article published by CBE JU.

The MARMADE project was presented at the 22nd International Conference on Renewable Resources & Biorefineries, held in Leuven, Belgium, from 1 to 4 June 2026.

As a prominent international conference in the field of renewable resources and biorefineries, the conference brought together researchers, industry representatives, policymakers, and stakeholders from across the bio-based economy sector. The event provided a platform for discussing scientific, technical, economic, environmental, and social aspects of renewable resource utilisation and biorefinery development.

Representing MARMADE, Erik Malta from CTAQUA presented a project poster highlighting the work carried out under Work Package 1, which focuses on marine biomass sourcing. The presentation introduced MARMADE’s innovative approach to transforming marine biomass into high-value ingredients through two complementary value chains, showcasing the project’s ambition to support circular and sustainable bio-based production systems.

The poster also presented the main bioactive extracts targeted by the project and their intended applications, demonstrating how marine resources can contribute to the development of innovative solutions for food and feed sectors while supporting resource efficiency and sustainability objectives.

Beyond the presentation itself, the conference provided valuable opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange. Discussions with participants focused on key challenges and opportunities related to the valorisation of invasive marine species, including regulatory considerations and the balance between economic viability and environmental sustainability in biorefinery development.

These exchanges reflected the broader objectives of MARMADE, which seeks to unlock the potential of marine biomass through innovative and environmentally responsible approaches. By participating in international events like this, the project continues to engage with the wider bioeconomy community and contribute to ongoing discussions on sustainable resource management and circular bio-based solutions.

Discover more about MARMADE’s sustainable marine biomass sourcing strategy, value chains, and biorefinery approach by exploring the conference poster presented at RRB 2026.

The transition to a circular and sustainable bioeconomy requires not only innovative ideas, but also tangible processes and people working behind them. Within the MARMADE project, research activities are actively demonstrating how marine residues can be transformed into high-value bio-based resources.

One example is the development of Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES). As shown in the video below, these solvents are formed from solid compounds through controlled mixing, resulting in a liquid system that can be used for the selective extraction of valuable compounds such as astaxanthin from crustacean discards. This approach highlights the potential of innovative, bio-based extraction methods to support resource efficiency and circularity.

The MARMADE project participated in the CBE JU Stakeholder Forum 2026, held in Brussels, a key event bringing together stakeholders from across Europe’s bio-based economy to discuss challenges and opportunities in scaling up bio-based innovations.

The project was represented by APRE (Agency for the Promotion of European Research), contributing to discussions and exchanges with policymakers, industry representatives, researchers, and other EU-funded projects.

The Forum gathered around 400 participants from 40 countries, highlighting the growing momentum of the European bioeconomy and the importance of collaboration across sectors.

From innovation to impact

Discussions at the Forum focused on the critical transition from research to market, addressing key challenges such as:

• Scaling up bio-based solutions from “lab to fab” to full industrial deployment
• Improving access to finance for large-scale implementation
• Strengthening industrial ecosystems and cross-sector collaboration
• Ensuring supportive and well-aligned policy frameworks

Speakers emphasised that regulation, funding, and collaboration are essential enablers to accelerate the deployment of bio-based innovations and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in the global bioeconomy.

Aligning with MARMADE’s mission

These priorities closely align with MARMADE’s objective to valorise marine biomass, including crustacean residues and seaweed, into high-value ingredients for food and feed applications.

Participation in the Forum provided a valuable opportunity to exchange insights, connect with key stakeholders, and position MARMADE within the broader European bioeconomy landscape.

Read more about the key outcomes of the Forum here.