NEW TECH FOODS

The Government of Catalonia has announced plans to invest €12 million in a pre-industrial facility to extract, produce and develop alt-protein ingredients and foods.

The facility, which is located in Alcarràs, Lleida, will provide open access, from R&D to pre-industrial manufacturing, for companies to validate their developments before mass production.

The new site will feature different production lines, including wet extrusion, plant protein extraction and final product processing. It will also offer a dedicated precision fermentation facility and an analysis laboratory to help players bring innovations to market.

Local media reported that the facility will provide open access to any Spanish producers currently interested in developing innovative lines of foods that act as an alternative to meat.

The project is part of the Biohub Cat, an EU-supported initiative that will additionally launch the first industrial bio park in the region.

In October last year, Catalonia invested €7 million in “Spain’s first” Center for Innovation in Alternative Proteins, CiPA, focusing on research and innovation in biomass production, plant protein extraction, ingredient functionalisation, safety evaluation, food prototypes and food waste.

Alex Holst, Senior Policy Manager at the Good Food Institute Europe, told The Cell Base: "This funding will provide Spanish alternative protein companies with access to much-needed R&D facilities. It's great to see governments begin to understand the importance of facilities such as this and Belgium's Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, which can play a crucial role in helping startups bring innovative products to the market."

"This pivotal investment follows the funding of a hub aimed at leading alternative protein science across southern Europe, and is further evidence of the growing role that Catalonia is taking in bolstering food security."

The Alcarràs facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2025, creating up to 15 new jobs.

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