The kick-off meeting of the NGSN - Nordic Gastronomy and Sensory Network for Protein Transition took place on April 21, 2026 in Helsinki, where the project was officially launched.
NGSN is led by the University of Helsinki and is a Nordic collaborative project that aims to strengthen the connections between gastronomy, sensory science and sustainable food systems. Matís is a participant in the project, alongside partners from Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. The project is built on the vision that the transition towards more sustainable protein sources must not only be grounded in nutrition and environmental considerations, but also in taste, experience and consumer satisfaction.
Á fundinum var farið yfir verkefnið og meginmarkmið verkefnisins og verkáætlun, samstarfsaðilar og þátttakendur kynntir. Ræddar voru sameiginlegar áherslur og hvernig best væri að tryggja árangursríka framkvæmd verkefnisins á komandi misserum. Fundinum lauk með samantekt og umræðum um framtíðarsýn verkefnisins, þar sem lögð var áhersla á öflugt norrænt samstarf, nýsköpun og sustainability í þróun matvælakerfa.
A key element of the kick-off meeting was a workshop where participants, around 15 experts from Nordic countries in the fields of sensory evaluation, culinary arts, nutrition and food science, technology and other disciplines, identified challenges related to the increased focus on more sustainable protein sources and possible solutions.
Among the challenges identified were sensory barriers, such as differing expectations and tastes, high prices, cultural biases, and misinformation on social media. Solutions included increased food education, a greater role for food preparation and culinary arts, and a review of policy.
The NGSN project focuses on protein substitution and sustainable food systems. The project is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and The Nordic Joint Committee for Agricultural and Food Research.
Nordic Council of Ministers, The Nordic Joint Committee for Agricultural and Food Research