The Future Will Be Plant-Based

The association aims to develop projects in cooperation with international stakeholders and to place plant-based foods at the center of food system transformation through a sustainable and scientific approach.

A scientific, collaborative, sustainable, holistic and systematic approach is required for food system transformation for the future of our planet and humanity. The path to this approach lies in increasing awareness and innovation regarding plant-based foods. As demand and production for plant-based foods increase, hope for a sustainable future also grows.

The Plant-Based Foods Association (BİTKİDEN), which began operations in December 2022 with the goal of playing a pioneering role in Turkey on this issue, aims to place plant-based foods at the center of food system transformation through a sustainable and scientific approach. Emphasizing the importance of plant-based foods for sustainability, BİTKİDEN aims to reveal Turkey's plant-based food potential.

Ebru Akdağ, Chairperson of BİTKİDEN Association Board of Directors, said that the association's vision is to be a pioneering and leading association for all stakeholders in this field by focusing on sustainable nutrition to benefit people and our planet, and continued as follows;

"By bringing together all stakeholders contributing to a sustainable plant-based nutrition system under our umbrella, we aim to lead the transformation towards plant-based foods, create interest and awareness among consumers, guide relevant policies, and encourage the stakeholders under our umbrella to conduct scientific research and innovation on plant-based foods.

All trends in the food sector show that the future lies in plant-based foods. It is very important that our country, which is an important player in the production of plant-based foods, not only benefit from this trend but also be the one to lead it."

[caption id="attachment_153832" align="aligncenter"] BİTKİDEN Association Board of Directors Chairperson Ebru Akdağ[/caption]

Stating that BİTKİDEN will take a pioneering role in contributing to regulatory preparations on the sustainability of plant-based foods and creating awareness among consumers, Ebru Akdağ said, "With the aim of creating a more visionary organization on matters concerning public health and the environment; as members of the International Plant-Based Foods Working Group (IPBFWG) and the European Plant-Based Foods Association (EAPF), we are beginning our journey with global knowledge. Our objective is to place plant-based foods at the center of food system transformation through a sustainable and scientific approach."

Stating that a new period is being experienced in which plant-based foods are being defined globally, Akdağ said, "To explain the importance of plant-based foods and increase their credibility, we are preparing to establish a multidisciplinary scientific board by bringing together experts from different disciplines.

We aim to establish collaborations with financial institutions for sustainability and to guide start-up ventures. Fair competition, science-based impartiality, collective action towards our objectives, service in the public interest and the pursuit of innovative and effective solutions constitute the fundamental principles of our association," she stated.