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On 19–20 March 2026, the University of Mons (UMONS) hosted a successful two-day international workshop titled “Boosting the use of Purple Phototrophic Bacteria (PPB) as innovative food and feed ingredients: From metabolism to health-promoting effects.”
The University of Mons (UMONS) hosted the first international Purple4Life workshop, titled “Boosting the use of Purple Phototrophic Bacteria (PPB) as innovative food and feed ingredients: From metabolism to health-promoting effects.” Co-organised by the Purple4Life project and the PurpleGain COST Action, the two-day event brought together a diverse community of scientists, regulatory experts, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across Europe and beyond.
As the inaugural event in the Purple4Life workshop series, the gathering reflected the growing momentum behind PPB as a versatile and sustainable biotechnology platform. With six keynote speakers, alongside oral presentations, poster sessions, and networking activities, the workshop fostered in-depth scientific exchange and cross-sector dialogue spanning fundamental research, regulatory frameworks, and commercial applications.
The first day opened with a scientific session focused on PPB metabolism and production optimisation. Andrew Hitchcock (University of Sheffield, UK) delivered a keynote on light capture mechanisms in PPB, highlighting strategies to improve efficiency at scale—one of the key challenges in the field.
Subsequent presentations explored innovative approaches to enhance PPB performance, including pigment modulation under environmental stress (Javier Llamas Saus), bioelectrochemical production of food-grade compounds (María José García López), the effects of salinity on antioxidant properties (Sara Olyslaegers), and advanced light management strategies (Salim Kichouh Aiadi).
In the afternoon, attention shifted to the regulatory landscape governing PPB use in food and feed. Mari Eskola (Medfile, Finland), Marta Ponghellini (Food Chain and Animal Health, Belgium), and Christoph Von Holst (European Commission Joint Research Centre, Belgium) discussed pathways to novel food authorisation, feed additive approval, and the analytical requirements for regulatory dossiers. A roundtable session provided further insight into current challenges and future policy developments.
The day concluded with additional scientific presentations on safety assessment, life cycle analysis, and biotechnological optimisation, followed by poster pitches and a networking dinner that encouraged collaboration across disciplines.
The second day focused on the application of PPB in feed and human health. The morning session highlighted their potential as a feed ingredient, with keynote speaker Katerina Kousoulaki (Nofima, Norway) presenting innovative uses of PPB biomass to improve aquaculture feed quality.
Presentations throughout the session examined topics such as enhanced pigmentation and health in ornamental fish, omega-3 fatty acid biosynthesis in trout, nutritional strategies in poultry, and the valorisation of food industry by-products for sustainable protein production.
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to human health. Plácido Navas (Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain) delivered a keynote on the role of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in mitochondrial function and its potential as a nutraceutical derived from PPB.
Further contributions explored vitamin B12 production, lipid extraction and CoQ10 quantification, protein bioaccessibility, and processing techniques to preserve antioxidant capacity. Together, these sessions addressed a critical question for market readiness: ensuring that beneficial compounds are not only present but also bioavailable after processing.
The workshop concluded with a shared recognition of the significant scientific progress achieved, alongside the regulatory and technological steps still required to bring PPB-based products to market.
By fostering collaboration across academia, industry, and policy, Purple4Life continues to position itself at the forefront of sustainable innovation in food, feed, and health. The Mons workshop marks an important milestone in this journey, setting the stage for future developments in the field.
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