People
鈥�
Waste2Taste partners meet in Troms酶 to review promising research results
The international consortium of the WASTE2TASTE project gathered in Tromsø, Norway, on 22–23 October 2026 for its annual meeting, hosted by UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, within its fisheries research department.
The two-day meeting brought together project partners to review scientific progress, assess completed deliverables and coordinate activities for the final stages of the project.
Funded through the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, WASTE2TASTE aims to transform underutilised marine biomass, including fish-processing by-products, invasive alien species and jellyfish, into valuable compounds through sustainable extraction technologies, contributing to the development of a circular blue economy.
The meeting confirmed that the project is progressing according to schedule, with several important milestones and deliverables successfully achieved.
Particular attention was given to promising results from green extraction processes targeting collagen and fish oils, alongside the ongoing characterisation of the recovered compounds.
Results presented by the partners highlighted the high quality of selected marine-derived compounds, demonstrating that biomass traditionally considered waste or an environmental burden can provide valuable resources with potential industrial applications.
These findings represent an encouraging step towards transferring sustainable extraction technologies from laboratory research to industrial production.
A particularly interesting development concerned the incorporation of recovered compounds into food products. During the meeting, partners sampled experimental food prototypes provided by the Turkish partner TETIS, containing approximately 30% collagen.
While similar formulations traditionally use collagen extracted from European seabass skin, the collagen incorporated into these prototypes was instead obtained from the lionfish (Pterois miles), a highly invasive alien species in the Mediterranean.
This example demonstrated the potential to transform an ecologically problematic species into a source of valuable ingredients for food applications.
The University of Malta was represented at the meeting by Mr Alessio Marrone, working under the leadership of Prof. Alan Deidun and Prof. Marion Zammit Mangion.
The Maltese team contributed updates on the project's progress, particularly concerning raw material supply streams, green extraction processes and communication strategies, reflecting the University's involvement in both the scientific and dissemination activities of WASTE2TASTE.
The consortium also held a round-table discussion to define further experimental activities planned for the coming winter and to coordinate the remaining scientific and technical objectives.
With approximately six months remaining before the project's conclusion, attention is also turning towards the organisation of the final stakeholder meeting, scheduled to take place in Malta.
The event will bring together representatives from relevant industries and stakeholders involved in fish production and processing, with particular emphasis on the Maltese tuna ranching sector, to explore opportunities for applying the project's results beyond the laboratory.
As the partner responsible for the project's dissemination and communication activities, the University of Malta will play a central role in engaging local stakeholders during this final phase, helping bridge the gap between scientific research, industrial applications and the wider community.
Through its combination of marine research, green biotechnology and industrial collaboration, WASTE2TASTE continues to demonstrate how marine by-products and underutilised species can contribute to more sustainable and resource-efficient production systems.
WASTE2TASTE is financed by the Malta Council for Science and Technology through the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership that is supported by the European Union through Horizon Europe.
