{"id":55086,"date":"2019-09-30T15:08:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T13:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.axfoundation.se\/?post_type=project&p=55086"},"modified":"2026-09-30T15:10:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T13:10:22","slug":"perennial-crops-creating-conditions-for-adoption","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/www.axfoundation.se\/en\/projects\/perennial-crops-creating-conditions-for-adoption","title":{"rendered":"Perennial Crops \u2013 Creating the Conditions for Wider Adoption"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Perennial crops, such as perennial grains, need to be developed in the field, throughout the food value chain, and within regulatory frameworks to contribute to more sustainable agriculture in the future. Photo: Douglas J. Cattani<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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The Issue<\/h2>\n
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Research on perennial grains has made significant progress, but several conditions need to be in place before these crops can be grown at scale and used as food. These include access to seed, practical cultivation knowledge, breeding and processing, risk sharing with farmers, food safety, and effective regulatory frameworks.
\nOne concrete challenge is the EU Novel Food regulatory framework. New crops such as Kernza\u00ae (intermediate wheatgrass) require a safety assessment and authorization before they can be sold as food in the EU. At the same time, research, agriculture, public authorities, and food companies need to develop and collaborate in parallel so that knowledge can be translated into cultivation, products, and functioning value chains.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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After many years of research, we know that perennial grains have great potential. Now we need to create the conditions for them to be used commercially as well. If regulations, research, and industry develop in step, more sustainable crops can reach farmers, food companies, and consumers.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Maria Lundesj\u00f6, Project Manager, Future Food, Axfoundation<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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The Novel Food process \u2013 A Bottleneck for the Development of Kernza in Europe<\/h2>\n
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Kernza has significant potential as a future food ingredient, but because it was not consumed to a significant degree in the EU before 1997, it falls under the EU Novel Food regulatory framework. This means it must undergo a safety assessment and be authorized before it can be sold as food on the European market.<\/p>\n

The process is important for ensuring that new foods are safe for consumers, but it also creates a threshold for new crops. Established grains benefit from extensive experience with cultivation, handling, processing, and consumption. For a new crop such as Kernza, equivalent knowledge and documentation need to be built from the ground up \u2013 often before a fully developed value chain exists or sufficient quantities of the raw material are available for analysis.<\/p>\n

In its 2025 scientific assessment, the European Food Safety Authority<\/a> (EFSA) concluded that the safety of Kernza grain and flour could not be established based on the available evidence. More robust knowledge is needed, including on microbiological quality, the production process, and storage stability.<\/p>\n

Axfoundation therefore continues to work with researchers and international partners to help build the knowledge needed for Kernza and other perennial grains to eventually be used as food in Europe.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n

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As part of the work to explore future uses for Kernza, the crop has been tested in different foods at Tors\u00e5ker Farm \u2013 including noodles. Photo: Axfoundation<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Our Solution<\/h2>\n
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For perennial grains to move from research into practical cultivation and use, several barriers need to be addressed. Axfoundation therefore works to identify and highlight the barriers slowing development, bring together relevant stakeholders, and contribute knowledge and evidence that can help move the work forward.<\/p>\n

A central issue is the EU Novel Food regulatory framework, which affects the ability to develop and introduce new perennial grains as food in Europe. In parallel, Axfoundation works to strengthen Nordic collaboration and clarify the conditions that need to be in place for future cultivation and market development. By bringing together research, agriculture, industry, and public authorities, we aim to help turn knowledge and experience into change.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Did you know…?<\/h2>\n
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