TastyBeans

Project period: 2025–2027

The project Sustainable production of locally produced, tasty and nutritious edamame beans (TastyBeans) aims to develop local edamame soybean production in Denmark to meet rising demand for fresh, nutritious, and tasty plant-based foods, addressing challenges related to adaptation to northern climates and consumer preferences.

A transition towards more plant-based diets requires a broader use of diverse plant protein sources. The highest protein content among vegetables is found in edamame – a specialty soybean. However, despite growing demand of edamame in Europe, it is mostly available as imported frozen products. This dependence on imports increases carbon footprint and limits control over production methods, traceability, quality, and food security.

A key barrier to local edamame production in northern climates is the lack of germplasm and suitable varieties for countries outside Asia. At the same time, soybean is a global crop with ability to adapt – meaning that a future warmer climate in Denmark will favour the expansion of soybean production there. Therefore, the TastyBeans project is set to increase understanding of the genetic mechanism underlying adaption to long days and temperature conditions at higher latitudes.

The objectives are to:

• Identify soybean accessions with high adaptability potential to Danish growing conditions
• Evaluate the adaptability of these accessions and investigate their genetic background
• Uncover the genomic, metabolomic, and sensory architecture of edamame taste
• Understand consumer preferences

Through cross-disciplinary collaboration between research and industry partners, the project will deliver benefits across the entire value chain:

• Plant breeders will have open access to well-characterised edamame-type soybean germplasm for breeding programmes
• Vegetable producers will be able to grow a new, high-value nitrogen-fixing crop suitable for local cultivation
• The vegetable processing industry will get access to fresh, high-quality, locally produced raw material with improved traceability, which can lead to increased sales in the retail sector
• Society will benefit from a reduced environmental footprint, as soybean – a nitrogen-fixing legume – has considerably lower impacts than animal-based protein sources

All relevant data and germplasm information will be made openly available through the Nordic and Baltic Gene Bank Information System (GENBIS), operated by NordGen, supporting transparency and long-term use of project results.