VALPRO Path Webinar to Showcase Faba Bean’s Role in Europe’s Plant Protein Future

The Horizon Europe VALPRO Path project, coordinated by Teagasc, will host a webinar on 2 April  2026, 12:00 AM – 1:00 PM CET, exploring the potential of faba bean in building sustainable plant-protein value chains. Titled “Creating plant protein value chains – Faba bean”, the session will present the latest project findings, highlighting how this versatile crop can contribute to more resilient and sustainable protein systems across Europe.

As Europe seeks to reduce dependency on imported protein sources, faba bean is gaining attention for its adaptability, high nutritional value, and wide range of food applications. The webinar will offer stakeholders practical, science-based insights spanning the entire value chain – from agronomy to processing and product development.

Webinar Highlights

The webinar will feature the latest research and expert insights from the VALPRO Path project:

• Agronomic Performance and Crop Potential: Dr Sheila Alves (Teagasc) will present findings on yield performance across trial sites, protein content achieved, and the suitability and adaptability of faba bean across different European regions, alongside key observations from field trials.
• Nutrition, Processing, and Product Development: Prof Mark Fenelon (Teagasc) will explore the nutritional profile and functional properties of faba bean, highlighting processing technologies tested within the project, their impact on nutritional quality, and prototype food products developed.
• Food Applications in Bakery Products: Dr Eimear Gallagher (Teagasc) will focus on the application of faba bean flour in bakery products, including functional and nutritional performance, product development trials, and the challenges and opportunities in bakery reformulation.

Following the presentations, a Discussion Corner, moderated by Dušan Čenejac Šimpraga (Foodscale Hub), will bring the speakers together to explore key challenges and opportunities for scaling faba bean value chains across Europe.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Dr Richard Lynch from Teagasc, VALPRO Path’s project manager, who will also introduce the project and set the scene for the session. The webinar will conclude with closing statements from Dušan Čenejac Šimpraga, summarising key insights and outlining future collaboration opportunities.

All interested parties are invited to participate and register HERE.

About VALPRO Path: From harnessing on-farm processes to creating business models, VALPRO Path aims to turn food-chain actors towards sustainable plant protein production. The project’s mission is to pioneer fresh possibilities, validating and showcasing ways to enhance plant protein production for food and feed in the EU.

For updates and additional information, visit the VALPRO Path Website and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

Media contacts

For media inquiries and further details about the VALPRO Path project, please contact the dissemination and communication team: 

Mladen Radišić: mladen@foodscalehub.com;

Tamara Trninić Gondi: tamara@foodscalehub.com  

Dušan Čenejac Šimpraga: dcenejac@foodscalehub.com