On March 31^st, the Hub4Food project reached a new milestone in food innovation.

Our partner, Valorial, hosted a specialized event at the Centre Culinaire in Rennes, bringing together a diverse group of institutions, researchers, and industry professionals to explore the vast potential of seaweed and algae in the food sector.

The morning session offered participants a “hands-on” experience. Attendees had the opportunity to prepare and taste an array of seaweed-based recipes, ranging from appetizers to desserts. This practical workshop demonstrated the versatility of seaweed in both sweet and savory dishes, providing participants with tangible insights into how these ingredients can be incorporated into everyday consumption.

In the afternoon, the focus shifted toward the economic and technical development of the sector. The Hub4Food project was formally presented by representatives from Valorial and PRAXENS.

To conclude the event, participants took part in interactive “germination project” workshops. These sessions were designed to brainstorm and outline preliminary collaborative initiatives. The working groups focused on five key pillars:

1. Training and education.
2. Production techniques.
3. Regulation and compliance.
4. Quality standards.
5. Strategies to increase consumer acceptance of seaweed.

This event successfully highlighted the significant potential of algae and seaweed as sustainable ingredients. More importantly, it reaffirmed the necessity of cross-sector collaboration between research and industry to drive innovation forward in the Atlantic Area food sector.