NorwegianFoods
Improved utilization of Norwegian agricultural resources
There is a need to utilize Norwegian agricultural resources more effectively to increase self-sufficiency and reduce food waste. The NorwegianFoods project aims to contribute to increased value creation through innovative use and processing of Norwegian raw materials into attractive, healthy, and sustainable products.
Start
01. Jan 2025
End
31. Dec 2028
Funded by
Fund for Research Levy on Agricultural Products
Other Participants:
Ann Katrin Holtekjølen
Sidsel Fiskaa Hagen
Sara Mohamed Gaber Mohamed
Shiori Koga
Dongfang Li
Svein Halvor Knutsen
Astrid Nilsson
John-Erik Haugen
Tone-Kari K. Østbye
Izumi Sone
Mona Elisabeth Pedersen
Hanne Larsen
Dejan Knezevic
Silje Johansen
Silje Kristine Bergum
Elin Merete Wetterhus
Tom Christen Johannessen
Lene Øverby
Vibeke Høst
Vibeke Voldvik
Nils Olav Heggdalsvik
Cecilia Midtsund Kippe
Background
Climate change, global conflicts, and unstable supply chains make it important to increase food self-sufficiency in Norway. The Norwegian government aims to increase production and self-sufficiency of food from fruits, berries, vegetables, and the grain sector, while maintaining the high self-sufficiency of animal products.
For both health and environmental reasons, it is recommended to produce and consume more plant-based foods. Increased knowledge about how food production affects the environment and our health, as well as the need to produce and consume more plant-based food, are among the driving forces behind this project.
Objective
The main goal is to contribute to better utilization and value creation of foods based on Norwegian agricultural raw materials through innovative use and processing into attractive, healthy, and sustainable products.
The project has the following sub-goals:
- Improve quality and increase utilization of fruits, berries, and vegetables through new knowledge about storage and processing.
- Develop new healthy and functional ingredients and products based on grains and legumes.
- Increase utilization of oilseeds and plant-based by-products through new knowledge about plant lipids and natural antioxidants, functional properties and bioactivity
- Improve quality and increase the value of Norwegian-produced meat.
- Gain better insight into how processing, in interaction with raw materials and ingredients, affects structure and other product properties.
Project contributions
The project will strengthen Norwegian food production in several ways. Better utilization of Norwegian agricultural raw materials and reduced food waste will help increase self-sufficiency and reduce dependency on imports.
Research on healthy ingredients and optimal processing and storage will contribute to the development of healthier foods. Overall, this will stimulate innovation and value creation in the Norwegian food industry and make the sector better equipped to meet future challenges related to climate change and unstable supply chains.
Selected contributions so far (05.11.2025)
- We are investigating how light affects the development of chlorophyll and toxic glycoalkaloids in potatoes and developing analytical methods to detect high-risk varieties and test ways to reduce their content.
- We are testing potato peel extract and other plant-based antioxidants in food products. Measurements show that the extracts do not cause unwanted odor or taste. This creates opportunities for better use of side streams and decreased use of synthetic antioxidants.
- We are studying bread baking processes and baking properties of grains with different qualities. This can increase the use of Norwegian grains and improve the nutritional quality of bread.
- We are identifying biological markers that can explain why chicken develops the muscle defect “wooden breast.” This provides opportunities to breed for better animal welfare and meat quality.
- We are tailoring processing conditions to different ingredients to create foods with enhanced texture.
How we work
The project is divided into five work packages, each focusing on different aspects of food production. The work packages are well-coordinated to ensure that the research delivers holistic and applicable results that contribute to innovation and value creation in Norwegian food production.
Work Package 1 – Fruits, berries, and vegetables:
We study how storage conditions affect the quality and shelf life of fresh fruits, berries, and vegetables. We examine different processing technologies and methods to achieve desired product quality.
Work Package 2 – Grains and legumes:
We optimize baking processes to increase the use of Norwegian wheat and other grains. We develop prototypes made from grains and legumes with improved nutritional value.
Work Package 3 – Fats, oils, and food quality:
We characterize lipids from Norwegian oilseeds and develop stable oil-containing ingredients. We test the effects of bioactive lipids on energy metabolism and isolate natural antioxidants from plant-based by-products.
Work Package 4 – Meat quality:
We study muscle defects and test different freezing and thawing conditions for various meat cuts. We measure water-holding capacity and texture during storage and examine oxidation of fats and proteins.
Work Package 5 – Structured plant-based and composite food products:
We create structured food products from ingredients developed in Work Packages 1–4 using extrusion and other processing methods. Structure at micro- and macro-levels is analyzed with advanced techniques and linked to other product properties.