Expanding EPNOE leadership towards Food and Health related materials, and increasing industrial participation

The need for a transition towards a CO2 neutral biobased economy or bioeconomy, increasing population and globalisation of economies will have the consequence of a need for enhanced supplies of biobased resources. To this end, polysaccharides will be at the central point of the world of tomorrow for sustainable fuel, food, materials and medicine production. EPNOE (European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence) is the short name for the EC Network of Excellence project called “Polysaccharides”. Established with the help of the European Commission (EC), the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) connects the initial 16 EU academic and research institutions and now 26 companies, all being members of the Durable Integrated Structure called EPNOE Association. Activities include research (e.g. EPNOE research Road Map published end of 2010 in Carbohydrate Polymers journal), education (e.g. student mobility or common undergraduate courses), services (e.g. six main academic-industry services), infrastructure (e.g. EPNOE Tool Box) and communication (e.g. sixteen Newsletters issued to 500 subscribers). EPNOE is dedicated to materials made from or with polysaccharides.
The general concept at the origin of this proposal is to participate to the improvement of competitiveness of European industry and generate new knowledge in polysaccharides through the expansion of EPNOE leadership in two new areas (Food and Health) and through increasing EPNOE participation and interactions with industry, with a special focus on SME’s.