The Plant-Based Foods Association (BİTKİDEN), which brings together stakeholders contributing to a plant-based nutrition system for a more sustainable world, has commenced its activities. Aiming to develop projects in collaboration with its international partners, the association seeks to place plant-based foods at the centre of the transformation in the food system through a sustainable and scientific approach.
For the future of our planet and humanity, a scientific, collaborative, sustainable, holistic, and systematic approach to transforming the food system is needed. The path to this approach lies in increasing awareness and innovation regarding plant-based foods. As demand for and production of plant-based foods increase, so does hope for a sustainable future. With the goal of playing a pioneering role in this area in Turkey, the Plant-Based Foods Association (BİTKİDEN), which began operations in December 2022, aims to place plant-based foods at the center of food system transformation with a sustainable and scientific approach. Emphasizing the importance of plant-based foods for sustainability, BİTKİDEN aims to reveal Turkey’s potential for plant-based foods.
“The future will be BİTKİDEN”
Ebru Akdağ, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Plant-Based Association, said that the association’s vision is to be a pioneering and leading association for all stakeholders in this field, focusing on sustainable nutrition to benefit people and our planet. Akdağ said, “We aim to bring together all stakeholders contributing to a sustainable plant-based nutrition system under our umbrella, to lead the transformation towards plant-based foods, to create interest and awareness among consumers, to guide relevant policies, and to encourage our stakeholders to conduct scientific research and innovation on plant-based foods.” He added, “All trends in the food sector indicate that the future lies in plant-based foods. As a major player in the production of plant-based foods, it is crucial for our country not only to benefit from this trend but also to shape it.”
“We are embarking on this journey with international stakeholders to create a visionary initiative.”
Ebru Akdağ, noting that BİTKİDEN will take a leading role in contributing to regulatory preparations regarding the sustainability of plant-based foods and raising consumer awareness, said, “With the aim of creating a more visionary organization on issues concerning public health and the environment; we are embarking on our journey with global expertise as a member of the International Plant-Based Food Working Group (IPBFWG) and the European Association for Plant-Based Foods (EAPF). Our goal is to place plant-based foods at the center of the food system transformation with a sustainable and scientific approach.”
“Science will be our compass”
Noting that we are entering a new era in which plant-based foods are being defined globally, Akdağ said, “We are preparing to establish a multidisciplinary scientific committee by bringing together experts from different disciplines to explain the importance of plant-based foods and increase their credibility. We aim to collaborate with financial institutions on sustainability and guide start-up ventures. Fair competition, science-based impartiality, joint action towards goals, serving the public good, and the search for innovative and effective solutions form the core principles of our association,” he said.
