Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 5 hrs ago
10 Turkish universities agree to establish Food Innovation Valley
Ten Turkish universities have agreed to establish the Food Innovation Valley at Boğaziçi University.
The planned hub will bring together university research facilities and expertise with the production capacity of industry.
Its aim is to develop branded food products enriched by science and technology, rather than relying on exports of raw materials.
The Food, Drink and Agriculture Policies Research Centre, known as GİFT, will handle the secretariat, and an academic from Middle East Technical University will coordinate the initiative.
The organisers say the first year will focus on functional and healthy foods that meet consumer needs.
They also want to turn the universities’ separate research efforts into joint projects, with public bodies, industry and civil society involved.
GİFT’s chair said the group hopes to present products at its next annual gathering.
Ten Turkish universities have agreed to establish a Food Innovation Valley under Boğaziçi University.
The initiative aims to develop branded, higher-value food products using science and technology.
The universities plan to combine their research facilities and expertise with industry’s production capacity.
The Food, Beverage and Agricultural Policies Research Center, known as GİFT, will handle the secretariat.
The coordinator said the first year’s goal is to develop functional and healthy foods based on consumer needs.
- Who
- Ten Turkish universities signed the agreement. ODTÜ food engineering professor Hami Alpas will coordinate the initiative.
- What
- They agreed to establish a Food Innovation Valley under Boğaziçi University.
- When
- The agreement was signed at the 5th Food Innovation Summit, held the week before the article was published on October 12, 2026.
- Where
- Boğaziçi University in Türkiye.
- Why
- The initiative aims to develop branded, higher-value food products and help Türkiye move from exporting raw materials to exporting value-added products.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The universities signed the agreement at the 5th Food Innovation Summit at Boğaziçi University.
The initiative aims to develop functional and healthy food products in response to consumer needs.
GİFT’s chair said the universities hoped to present products rather than project proposals.
- Universities
- 10
- Host university
- Boğaziçi University
- Coordinator
- Hami Alpas, ODTÜ Food Engineering Department professor
- Secretariat
- GİFT, the Food, Beverage and Agricultural Policies Research Center
- First-year goal
- Develop functional and healthy food products for consumer needs
What people are saying
Food defense is a national issue.
We aim to transform our country from a position of exporting raw materials into a country that exports branded, high-value food products enriched with science and technology.
Our role from now on is to be a catalyst.
Sources
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