Pre-Germinator teams

Here are short descriptions of the six student teams in the 2022-2023 Pre-Germinator programme.
Acorns

Our mission is to introduce acorns as a novel material for producing gluten-free food products in the Nordic area. Acorns are healthy, and delicious and also can be regarded as a sustainable source of food.

Our main product is acorn flour at the moment because acorns are very suitable for baking and are naturally gluten-free. Acorns have high amounts of antioxidants which are really healthy, but they also contain big amounts of tannins which are healthy in small portions but toxic and bitter in large quantities. We have figured out the best method for tannin extraction to maintain a good nutty flavor in our flour and also to provide bakers with an alternative kind of flour to improve their recipe. Additionally, acorns are considered a low-cost material that generally improves flavor for gluten-free products, furthermore it might improve the texture.

We have a perfect interdisciplinarity team: Specialist in the field of food science, agricultural science, pharmacy, and marketing.

BLÅ

Team Blå is recreating the sausage pleasure, by providing the tastiest sausage with less meat by adding vegetables. Blå wants to challenge the current markets that often claim that the more meat sausage, the tastier it gets. We believe it is the other way round. Come to try the tastiest sausage, that is made for people who want to eat better, easier!  

Papunen

We wanted to create a baby meal that is tasty and has optimal nutrition. Papunen is the first baby meal on the market, that is made solely with domestic and plant-based ingredients. The aim is to introduce beans and vegetables to babies early on, which leads to healthy eating habits that last a lifetime. 

The ingredients in our baby meal include fava beans, peas, oats and vegetables. It contains all the essential amino acids, it is low in saturated fats and contains no additives. Our beans are fermented, which makes them stomach friendly. Our ready baby meal is an easy and convenient option for a healthy and delicious meal without the trouble of cooking.

We want to help parents make a difference by choosing a sustainable option for their baby. Our mission is to increase the enjoyment and digestibility of legumes and to increase the use of plant-based foods.

Our team consists of three students from University of Helsinki: Meri (food science), Milja (environmental and resource economics) & Meeri (environmental and food economics).

Prio-one

Prio-One develops an energy-rich meal cracker that helps active professionals in unbalanced situations with balanced nutrition. One cracker corresponds to the plate model of a plant-based meal. The user interface of current meal replacements is not effortless, unlike the Prio-One cracker, which allows you to standardize your nutrition until you decide to enjoy eating again. The team consists of two food science students from University of Helsinki.

UKWA

Mechanized production of African Breadfruit - Treculia Africana (Ukwa): Ukwa is a fruit typically grown in the Central and Western parts of Africa. It is a staple food for most of the inhabitants of Nigeria. The kernels – which are the end product - in Ukwa fruit are rich in nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals) and can serve as a plant-based meal. Unfortunately, due to the crude approach used in processing the fruit, farmers, and retailers are slowly losing interest, while the fruit gradually becomes extinct. A team of three food science students at the University of Helsinki came up with the idea of designing a mechanized modal line for Ukwa production, which will increase farmers' income, decrease the processing time, and encourage marketers to engage in the commercialization of the fruit. Besides that, mechanizing production also aims to prevent this plant from going extinct and encourage healthy eating habits.

365+ Veggies

365+Veggies makes hydroponic farming accessible to the consumer, by utilising empty or unused spaces in apartment buildings, bringing fresh herbs and vegetables straight to their homes.

The technology already exists and it works: we're making the systemic change to make it achievable. Our mission with 365+Veggies is that we want to modify the old linear food chain and bring more market versatility. We want to give the customers a choice to be active actors in the food ecosystem. We will build a strong community to grow hyperlocal food together and educate people at the same time while they enjoy delicious, fresh Veggies - plus 365 days a year.

Our team has the core expertise to build this innovation with the knowledge of two Agricultural and two Food Science students.