NEW TECH FOODS

A joint research project between James Cook University (JCU) and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) is investigating seaweed as a sustainable, low-cost replacement for conventional cell culture media used in cultivated meat and seafood production. The initiative, titled SeaToMeat – Optimizing Seaweed Proteins to Cultivate Meat , aims to convert seaweed proteins into high-value hydrolysates – mixtures of amino acids, peptides and bioactive compounds created by breaking down proteins. These hydrolysates could feed animal cells in cellular agriculture, replacing expensive and ethically problematic inputs like fetal bovine serum. Researchers from JCU’s Tropical Futures Institute (TFI) and SIT are using enzymatic hydrolysis and protein analysis to identify effective breakdown methods across different seaweed species. The project supports circular economy principles and seeks scalable, cost-effective applications in cultivated meat and seafood production. “Simply put, we are exploring avenues to turn seaweed into delicious cultivated meat and seafood,” said Thimo Ruethers, research fellow at TFI. “By breaking down seaweed and its proteins into smaller components, we can create a more affordable and sustainable way to feed the animal cells used in cellular agriculture,” explained SIT’s principal investigator associate professor, Juan Du. The research is funded by the Good Food Institute and involves collaboration with Umami Bioworks, IPB University in Indonesia and seaweed farms in Indonesia and Australia. JCU and SIT bring expertise in protein science, food safety, and food processing, while Umami Bioworks contributes industry insights into the application of seaweed-based media in cultivated seafood systems. TFI’s head of health sciences professor, Andreas Lopata, added: “If successful, the project could reduce the cost of cultivated meat production and lower dependence on conventional ingredients, supporting a more sustainable and ethical food system".

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) have launched a new business support service to help companies developing cell-cultivated food products navigate the authorisation process. These products, often called “lab-grown meat,” include items like chicken fillets and beef burgers made from animal cells. The sector is expanding, and regulators have begun receiving applications, with more expected in the near future. The support service offers direct access to FSA and FSS staff before an application is submitted. Companies will receive guidance on key requirements such as data collection, hazard identification and food safety standards. Post-submission, businesses can access further help to address any gaps identified during the review process. Thomas Vincent, deputy director of Sandbox and Innovation at the FSA, said: “The FSA’s role is to make sure all foods are safe before they are sold in UK. As cell-cultivated products are now being developed in new and innovative ways, it’s vital they continue to meet our high safety standards. This new service will help businesses understand what is needed to prove their products are safe, and guide them through the authorisation process." "By making it easier for companies to get things right from the start, we can support growth in the cell-cultivated product sector while giving consumers a wider choice of safe food.” The FSA and FSS will also use the process to gather evidence on emerging technologies to improve future evaluations. Plans are in place to expand the service to producers of precision-fermented foods, such as those using microorganisms to make dairy proteins or rennet.

Alberta Innovates has committed $500,000 to support the Cellular Agriculture Prairie Ecosystem (CAPE) Project, a $2.4 million initiative led by Edmonton-based New Harvest Canada. The three-year program aims to strengthen the Prairie region’s food biomanufacturing sector by transforming agricultural byproducts into new food products using cellular agriculture technologies. CAPE focuses on economic development, food sovereignty and sustainability by supporting commercialisation, applied research and talent development. The initiative includes a fellowship programme, an open-access research database and plans to establish a regional research institute. Mark Summers, VP of agriculture and environment at Alberta Innovates, said: "Cellular agriculture presents a transformative opportunity for sustainable food production, addressing the global demand for protein. New Harvest's work to create a cellular food institute, along with Alberta's expertise in agriculture, will help put Alberta on the map in this emerging technology." The provincial funding follows a $1 million federal contribution from Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) .

Following the news that Simple Planet, a food-tech start-up based in Seoul, has announced its strategic initiative to pursue Halal certification for its cell-based food products , New Tech Foods spoke to Simple Planet’s Dominic Jeong to learn more about the certification and how moving into the global Halal market can help the cultivated meat industry gain more traction. What motivated Simple Planet to pursue Halal certification for its cultivated meat products, and how do you see this move impacting your growth in the global market? Our core mission is to make sustainable and ethical nutrition available to everyone. Pursuing Halal certification is a direct extension of that goal. Many Muslim-majority regions are in climate-vulnerable zones where livestock production is increasingly unsustainable. Halal-certified cultivated meat could offer not only ethical assurance but also food system resilience in regions like the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia. We recognised early on that without Halal validation, a large segment of the global population – nearly two billion Muslims – could be excluded from the benefits of cultivated meat. By ensuring our products meet Halal requirements, we’re addressing both inclusion and market expansion. This opens up new opportunities in Muslim-majority regions and strengthens our ability to serve diverse global consumers. Can you explain the significance of your collaboration with the Halal Science Center at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and how it will facilitate the certification process? Partnering with the Halal Science Center at Chulalongkorn University is part of our strategy to establish strong, science-backed certification processes. This collaboration sends a clear message: we are committed to meeting Halal standards and doing so in a transparent, verifiable way. Their expertise in Halal science helps us gain new insight and speed up the process by providing technical and religious guidance early in development, reducing uncertainties later on. How does your serum-free culture medium, derived from probiotics, meet the requirements for Halal certification, and what advantages does it offer over traditional methods? Our proprietary serum-free medium is entirely animal-component-free, eliminating concerns related to blood-derived or animal-slaughter ingredients – both of which are highly sensitive in Halal contexts. Using probiotic-based culture medium not only ensures compliance with Halal principles but also offers better scalability and cost efficiency compared to traditional fetal bovine serum (FBS)-based methods. The Korea Muslim Federation’s Fatwa has acknowledged cell-based foods as Halal. What does this recognition mean for Simple Planet and the cultivated meat industry as a whole? The Fatwa is an important recognition. While not globally binding, it sets a precedent by showing that cultivated meat can be compatible with Islamic laws when the right practices are in place. For Simple Planet, it validates the direction we’ve taken with our technology – especially our focus on using serum-free, animal-free culture mediums. For the broader industry, it marks an entry point for more structured engagement with Islamic scholars and regulatory bodies worldwide. Can you describe the process involved in obtaining Halal certification for your products? What specific steps need to be taken, and how does this process vary from traditional food certification? Halal certification for cultivated meat involves several layers beyond standard food safety checks. It starts with confirming that the source of the initial cells is Halal. Then, the composition of the culture medium must be verified to ensure there is no inclusion of non-permissible (haram) substances. The production process itself must also follow Islamic principles regarding cleanliness and separation. Unlike traditional food products, the process here includes both scientific review and religious consultation, which makes it more complex. But that also makes the outcome more meaningful, especially in terms of consumer trust. What are the main challenges faced by cultivated meat companies when it comes to meeting Halal standards, and how have you addressed these challenges? The biggest challenge is the absence of a unified standard. Cultivated meat is still a new category, and different Halal authorities as well as Islamic scholars have different views. That creates uncertainty. We’ve addressed this by being proactive – engaging directly with scholars, certification bodies and research institutions to build a shared understanding. Our use of a probiotic-based, serum-free medium from the beginning helps reduce friction by eliminating the need for animal serum, which is often a barrier in Halal and ethical approval processes. How do you ensure that your production facilities and processes adhere to Halal principles, and what kind of inspections or audits are required before you receive certification? Simple Planet implements various measures to ensure that its production facilities and processes strictly adhere to Halal principles. All of our R&D is now ‘Halal-ready by design,’ meaning we incorporate compliance checkpoints starting at cell isolation through to media formulation and production, minimising reformulation later. Firstly, the bovine tissues we use for initial cell isolation are sourced from Halal-certified slaughterhouse in Korea. We are planning to apply the same sourcing standards to our future production facilities in Southeast Asia. We have also developed and use a proprietary serum-free culture medium derived from probiotics, which contains no animal-based or non-Halal components. This innovation replaces the traditionally used fetal bovine serum (FBS), thereby addressing ethical and religious concerns. We work closely with food regulatory bodies and Halal certification authorities in key markets including Indonesia, Thailand, Korea and Singapore. Our production processes and products are regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with Halal standards. Notably, we have engaged in joint research and certification efforts with organisations such as Indonesia’s Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN)/National Research and Innovation Institute, the National Food Institute of Thailand and the Halal Science Center at Chulalongkorn University. In Korea, we have partnered with the Korea Muslim Federation (KMF) to share technical data and engage in in-depth discussions, which recently led to a Halal fatwa specifically addressing cell-cultured foods. To obtain Halal certification, we must submit comprehensive documentation of raw materials, manufacturing processes and equipment management. This is followed by on-site inspections assessing hygiene and operational standards, along with ingredient analysis of product samples. After certification is granted, regular audits and monitoring are conducted to ensure continued compliance with Halal requirements. How do you anticipate the growing demand for Halal-certified cultivated meats will influence the future of food production and sustainability, particularly in Muslim-majority markets? We expect it to create a strong push for alternative proteins that meet both environmental and religious standards. In many Muslim-majority regions, meat consumption is high, but supply is increasingly strained by climate issues, cost and logistics. Cultivated meat, if Halal-certified, can offer a reliable and locally produced alternative. It is not going to replace conventional meat overnight, but over time, it can help improve food security and reduce pressure on land and water resources. It’s a long-term shift, but one that’s already starting. What role do you see Halal certification playing in promoting accessibility to cultivated meats, especially in regions where Halal food is a significant part of the diet? Halal certification is more than a regulatory requirement – it’s a foundation of trust. In regions where Halal standards are a requirement for the community, certification ensures that cultivated meat is not only available but also accepted and embraced by the community. It lowers the barriers to entry for new food technologies and helps us reach underserved populations with sustainable nutrition that aligns with their values. What are your plans for scaling production to meet the growing demand for Halal-certified cell-based products, and how will your partnerships and certifications help you achieve this goal? Simple Planet is actively scaling up its production infrastructure. We are currently utilising 1,000-litre bioreactor scale with a monthly production target of up to 3.2 tons of cell-based proteins. To support this scale-up and ensure compliance with global quality standards, we are in the process of securing Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification for our facilities. Partnerships and certifications are critical to our strategy for producing Halal-certified, cell-based products. In particular, our collaboration with the Korea Muslim Federation (KMF) has helped advance Halal rulings on cell-based foods. These developments, along with our expanding production capacity and close collaboration with certification and research institutions, are key to enabling Simple Planet to reliably supply Halal-compliant cultivated foods and become a trusted global brand in this space. What impact do you believe your serum-free medium and Halal certification will have on consumer perceptions of cell-based meats, particularly among Muslim consumers? Both elements are critical to building trust. Using a serum-free, animal-free medium directly addresses one of the most common concerns around cultivated meat – its reliance on animal-derived components. When paired with Halal certification, it offers clear assurance that the product complies with Islamic dietary laws. Together, they make cultivated meat both scientifically credible and religiously acceptable. We believe this combination will help shift perceptions and encourage adoption, particularly among Muslim consumers who may have been uncertain or cautious about new food technologies. You have emphasised the role of cell-cultured foods in addressing the global food crisis. How does Halal certification fit into your broader mission of food security and sustainability? Our broader mission is to support a food system that is sustainable, ethical and inclusive. Halal certification ensures that Muslim populations – one of the largest global consumer groups – are not left out of this transition. By aligning cultivated meat with Halal standards, we are making sure these products are accessible where they are needed most, including in regions facing supply chain stress or protein scarcity. It is a key part of ensuring that food security solutions reach all communities, not just a few. Are there any future developments or innovations in your product line that could further strengthen your position in the Halal market? To strengthen our competitiveness in the Halal market, Simple Planet continuously pursues technological innovations. One key advancement is our development of a serum-free culture medium derived from probiotic recycling. This innovation not only eliminates ethical concerns but also ensures compliance with Halal standards. By overcoming the challenge of using animal-derived serum in traditional cultivated meat production, we have positioned ourselves to stand out in the global Halal market. Looking ahead, we plan to expand our Halal-certified offerings beyond proteins and fats to include various functional ingredients and other cell-based food components. From the early stages of R&D, we integrate Halal certification requirements in collaboration with certification authorities, ensuring that our innovations support long-term sustainable growth in the global Halal food sector. How do you plan to educate and build trust within the Muslim community regarding the safety and acceptability of cultivated meats, and what role will Halal certification play in this process? We’re building trust by working closely with ethical, religious and food safety bodies, as well as universities and research institutions, such as the Halal Science Center at Chulalongkorn University. These collaborations help ensure that our processes are transparent, scientifically sound and aligned with Islamic principles. Halal certification plays a key role in this effort – it represents our commitment to compliance and respect for religious values, and it reinforces the safety and acceptability of cultivated meat for Muslim consumers. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for the cultivated meat sector in terms of Halal certification, and how do you plan to capitalise on these opportunities moving forward? The biggest opportunity is to become the first mover. We are the first company in Korea to reach out to the Korea Muslim Federation regarding our technology, which resulted in the approval of Halal Fatwa regarding cultivated meat from the institution. Halal-certified cultivated meat is still in its early stages, and companies that move first can help define consumer expectations, regulatory pathways and product standards. We plan to continue to lead by combining scientific innovation with ethical, cultural and religious norms. That means building strong relationships with Halal authorities, Food and Drugs Safety authorities and co-creating products with local partners who know their communities best. Anything else you would like to add? We believe that creating a sustainable solution is not just about how we produce food, but how we make that food available to everyone. Halal certification is a vital part of that journey. It is about more than compliance; it is about inclusion. We are committed to making sure that no community is left behind as the future of food takes shape. You say Balboa Kitchen will enter global markets this year, including Southeast Asia and Japan. But this brand uses your cell-based ingredients, right? How do you plan to enter the market without regulatory approval, which will likely take at least a year after the application? And does that also mean you've applied/will apply in Japan? Currently, Balboa Kitchen is entering global markets such as Southeast Asia and Japan with premium ready-to-eat meals, including granola, Korean-style oatmeal porridge and cup mashed potatoes. These products do not yet contain cell-based ingredients. The brand is initially focusing on expanding brand awareness and distribution networks through conventional ready meals, while strategically developing cell-based food products that can be launched immediately once regulatory approval is secured. Regarding regulatory approval, we are closely monitoring the requirements of key markets, including Japan, and do plan to submit an application there. In the meantime, we are developing localised product plans and distribution strategies tailored to each market to lay the groundwork for the eventual launch of cell-agriculture-based foods.

The UK government has announced its Digital & Technology Sector Plan as part of its broader Industrial Strategy, including a £184m Engineering Biology Scale-up Infrastructure Programme to build and upgrade facilities. The plan, published this week, highlights engineering biology as a key frontier technology for the UK. Engineering biology encompasses a broad range of technological approaches to producing new sustainable products, or developing existing products in more sustainable ways. Within the F&B industry, technologies that fall into this category include precision fermentation, cellular agriculture – such as cultivated meat and seafood technologies – and advanced bioengineering of plants. The government is investing up to £2.8 billion over five years in advanced manufacturing and R&D. It is allocating an initial an initial £196 million for a National Engineering Biology Programme to fund researcher-led projects. Driving targeted critical R&D for ‘transformative applications’ of engineering biology, it will support investment into engineering biology monitored through metrics such as R&D collaborations and investment leveraged. The sector plan also supports innovation in crop genetics and breeding to improve UK-grown plant protein sources, such as peas and fava beans. It highlights that the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act (2023) will create a new regulatory framework and enable a route to market for precision-bred products, encouraging investment and innovation in agri-tech. The plan sets out how it will support networks of researchers, innovators and larger companies in the country through new schemes like the UKRI Engineering Biology Innovation Network. It highlights a timeline of its plans through to 2035, which includes the completion of the Food Standards Agency’s cultivated meat regulatory sandbox, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Europe, announced last year. The government has pledged to join the newly formed Regulatory Innovation Office to build on its success and pave the way for companies in the space to bring products to market. Cell-based meat start-up Multus, based in London, is highlighted within the plan as an example of the UK’s growing regional clusters of expertise. Industry think tank the Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe) welcomed the government’s plan, noting its potential to support researchers and scientists developing fermentation-based and cell-based foods. According to a report shared by the Green Alliance, foods made with these technologies could add £6.8 billion each year to the UK’s economy and create 25,000 jobs by 2035 if supported by regulatory reforms and sufficient public investment. GFI highlighted that while research into protein diversification has seen a significant increase in the UK, lack of infrastructure is a key barrier to British businesses in commercialising researchers’ findings. Linus Pardoe, senior UK policy manager at GFI Europe, said: “It’s positive to see the government recognise the UK’s many strengths in engineering biology and commit to boost this sector through a new Industrial Strategy”. He added: “The UK has everything it takes to become a world leader in developing and commercialising alternative proteins, and initiatives like the new infrastructure funding promised today could be an excellent way of unlocking new opportunities, boosting our food security, helping grow the economy and creating future-proof jobs”.

Dutch food-tech company Rival Foods has raised €10m in Series B growth financing, supporting the scale-up of its plant-based whole cut meat alternatives. The round was led by pension investor APG, on behalf of APG, with participation from Pymymic and ROM Utrecht Region, with follow-on investment from existing shareholder PeakBridge. Rival Foods was founded in 2019 as a spin-off from Wageningen University & Research. Its proprietary platform produces whole cut meat alternatives – products that closely mimic the structure, flavour and mouthfeel of animal-derived meat cuts while being fully plant-based, clean label and minimally processed. The products are free from artificial additives and are designed to meet high culinary standards in the industry, developed specifically for foodservice, retail and brands. This latest funding round will enable Rival Foods to double its production capacity at its facility in Geldrop, the Netherlands. According to the start-up, it will also allow for further optimisation of production costs to achieve competitive pricing to animal meat, without compromising on taste, texture or nutritional value. Birgit Dekkers, CEO and founder of Rival Foods, said: “This investment marks a major milestone in our mission to make high-quality plant-based meat mainstream”. “With the backing of world-class investors, we’re ready to scale fast and reshape the future of protein. We’re called Rival for a reason – we’re here to be one.” Rival takes a B2B-first approach, working with chefs, retailers and food brands across Europe. In addition to scaling its operations, the Series B funding will support team expansion and international growth, as well as new foodservice and retail partnerships. Lodewijk Meens, senior portfolio manager at APG, said: “Rival Foods have built something special: a scalable process to turn standard plant proteins into exciting fibrous, meat-like structures”. “With this investment, our client ABP seeks to achieve strong financial returns while simultaneously reducing the environmental footprint of food consumption. We are proud to support Birgit and her excellent team as they continue to add manufacturing capacity and expand market presence.” Images: © Rival Foods

Tetra Pak has announced that its pilot New Food Technology Development Centre in Karlshamn, Sweden, is now open for business. The centre was developed to help producers of biomass and precision fermentation-derived food products with their technical processes and offer support from experts and producers. It is open to businesses of all sizes, from start-ups and scale-ups to established companies looking to explore new food categories. Noticing that investment in this sector is becoming increasingly difficult to secure, Tetra Pak has drawn on its expertise in equipment solutions and product formulation to ensure that the new centre can help overcome challenges with profitability. Whether using fermentation to create functional ingredients or formulating for a direct end-use, such as meat and fish substitute products, experts at Tetra Pak New Food Technology Development Centre can support food producers in their development goals. The official inauguration was held on 13 June, when the ribbon was cut by Tetra Pak’s executive vice president for processing solutions and equipment, Charles Brand. He led attendees in a tour of the facility, where they were able to taste test products already in development. Brand said: “At a time when others in the industry are scaling back, we are moving forward, and the Tetra Pak New Food Technology Development Centre represents our most significant commitment to fermentation-derived foods yet. We believe in the need to develop New Food sources to feed a growing population, but we understand that scaling New Food products is a step into the unknown.” The centre offers two programmes to food producers. These include the Process Evaluation programme, aimed at companies ready to move from lab-scale production to demo scale, or seeking more efficient methods for large-scale production. The other programme, Productivity Validation, looks to support companies with established production processes looking for validation and improvement of their process performance. Through the Technology Development Centre, food producers can also collaborate with other Tetra Pak product development facilities in Lund to achieve desired food properties and functionalities, trial different final product formulations, and develop brand or product identity to create an effective go-to-market strategy. This close collaboration can speed up time-to-market and improve process efficiencies. Brand continued: “We know food. We know equipment. Start-ups are struggling with translating production to food-scale, and we know how to do that, using our extensive food production experience and development centre network to support our customers in upscaling from prototypes to production lines. New Food innovation shouldn’t be viewed as aspirational; it’s about delivering practical solutions that can put food on shelves around the world today.” Top image: © TetraPak

Australian biotech company Vow has announced that cultivated Japanese quail products under its brand, Forged, have been approved for sale in Australia and New Zealand, and will begin appearing at eateries next month. Following a two-year-long approval process working with Food Standards Australia New Zealand, three products from Forged’s flagship cultivated quail line – which have already achieved regulatory approval in Singapore – will be available, set to appear on selected restaurant menus around Melbourne and Sydney from July. Vow unveiled its cultured quail product a novel food crafted from a subspecies of the Japanese quail – in April last year. Launched in Singapore, the cultivated quail parfait is now Vow’s flagship offering. It is created using a small sample of cells from a Japanese quail. Scientists then isolate the cells responsible for texture and taste before placing them in a bioreactor. The company followed up with the launch of its cultivated quail foie gras in November 2024 , launching in in Singapore, Hong Kong and the US. Foie gras is a speciality delicacy that is banned in some regions, as it is made from the liver of a duck or goose fattened by force feeding. According to Vow, its cultured variety is made without any animal intervention, while providing the subtle, gamey flavour profile of Japanese quail with the texture of fatty liver. Currently, Vow is one of only three companies worldwide to receive approval to sell lab-grown meat for human consumption. Other start-ups that have received regulatory approval include Upside Foods and Eat Just (under its Good Meat brand). In a statement on its LinkedIn page, celebrating the milestone approval, Vow stated: "This isn’t just a regulatory milestone. It’s the start of something new: a way of creating meat that’s unlike anything you’ve tasted before."

French food-tech start-up Fungu’it has secured €4 million in funding to accelerate industrial-scale production of its natural flavourings made from agricultural by-products. The round was led by Asterion Ventures, with additional backing from Evolem and UI Investissement via Oser BFC. Based in Dijon, France, Fungu’it uses solid-state fermentation to convert materials such as flaxseed press cake, sunflower residues and legumes into natural flavourings. The company focuses on resource efficiency, claiming reduced water and energy use compared to conventional methods. Its product range includes a meaty umami flavour for plant-based foods and a chocolate alternative designed to replace up to 25% of cocoa in formulations – aimed at reducing pressure on cocoa supply chains and tropical ecosystems. With the new investment, Fungu’it plans to build an industrial pilot plant, secure patents, expand its ingredient library and grow its sales team, with a focus on the plant-based food segment. The company says it is addressing rising demand for sustainable and natural flavour solutions. France’s food flavouring sector generated €730 million in 2022, and industry margins remain attractive. Anas Erridaoui, CEO and co-founder of Fungu’it, said: "We want to restore purpose in what we eat –without compromise. Through fermentation, we reveal the richness of overlooked raw materials to create flavours that are more accurate, vibrant and accessible.” He added: "Our technology revolutionises the creation of natural, sustainable and high-performance flavourings, while upcycling often wasted by-products. This circular, innovative approach is established as a key driver of transformation for the agro-food sector, moving towards a healthy, long-lasting and affordable diet."

BioMara, in collaboration with ingredient supplier Macphie and Abertay University, has completed a government-funded project to incorporate a new seaweed-based ingredient into mainstream food products. Backed by Innovate UK’s ‘Better Food for All’ programme, the initiative focused on Seafibrex – a functional food ingredient derived from farmed seaweed. The project demonstrated that Seafibrex can be added to baked goods and plant-based meats without affecting taste, texture or manufacturing efficiency. Seafibrex contains a blend of dietary fibre, antioxidants, minerals and carbohydrates, aimed at boosting nutritional value. It was developed in response to the UK’s ongoing fibre intake shortfall: only 9% of adults currently meet the recommended 30g daily intake, with national averages stuck around 19g. BioMara developed a proprietary extraction method to produce Seafibrex as a cost-effective, clean-label ingredient. Macphie ran trials at its production facilities, incorporating the seaweed fibre into bakery items such as bread and muffins. Abertay University led consumer sensory testing, which found the products were well received. Seaweed cultivation also supports environmental goals, requiring no land, fertiliser or freshwater, and contributing to marine regeneration. The project is expected to strengthen the UK’s seaweed farming sector and support coastal economies. With the pilot complete, BioMara is now scaling up production and seeking new partnerships with food manufacturers interested in functional and sustainable reformulation. Paul McKnight from Macphie said: “This is a timely and valuable initiative aimed at improving the nation’s health without asking people to give up the foods they love". "The programme has shown that seaweed-based ingredients like Seafibrex can be incorporated into our product lines without sacrificing taste or quality. We’re also seeing growing demand from our customers for innovative functional ingredient solutions from reliable local suppliers that align with wellness and sustainability trends.” Jay Dignan, CEO of BioMara, added: “The UK faces a nutrition crisis, with fast and convenience foods dominating diets and driving chronic disease. Seafibrex offers a breakthrough solution as a functional ingredient that can help by making nutritious food more accessible, without requiring consumers to change their habits. It’s affordable, sustainable and scientifically proven.”

Lucas van der Zee, scientist and co-founder of the Plant Cell Institute, talks to New Tech Foods about how the evolution of plant cell culture has reached this exciting turning point and why collaboration is essential for sustained industry success. Over the past several decades, microbotanics, also known as plant cell culture, has steadily evolved from an academic curiosity into a robust industrial platform. Microbotanics is the production of biomass or secondary metabolites by growing plant cells – or isolated plant organs – in bioreactors. Early pioneers laid the groundwork by demonstrating that plant cells, when grown in controlled environments, can produce high-value compounds. Initially, the focus was on harnessing these capabilities to produce medicinal and nutraceutical ingredients. Today, however, emerging innovations in cell culture technology are fuelling a second wave of enterprises that aim to revolutionise broader markets like food, nutrition, cosmetics and materials. The first wave: herbal remedies and pharma The journey of plant cell culture began with the ambition to mimic nature’s own biosynthetic factories in a controlled, scalable setting. Early work demonstrated that plant cell cultures could yield valuable secondary metabolites at levels that sometimes exceeded what traditional agriculture could produce. These early ventures capitalised on the growing consumer preference for natural products, leveraging plant-based systems to offer ingredients with fewer regulatory hurdles than their synthetic counterparts. One of the breakthrough examples was the production of ginseng saponins. Traditional cultivation of ginseng is a long and labour-intensive process, often requiring several years of growth under field conditions. By contrast, companies such as CBN Biotech achieved significant breakthroughs by optimising cell culture conditions to produce high concentrations of these valuable compounds. For instance, using bioreactor and process optimisation techniques, CBN Biotech reached a total saponin content that was more than double that of field-grown ginseng. Their scaled-up production in 10 m³ bioreactors now yields roughly 45 tonnes of fresh biomass per year. Phyton Biotech successfully scaled up production of the cancer drug paclitaxel and deploys bioreactors with volumes up to 75 m³ – a testament to the feasibility of using plant cell cultures for producing at scale. These early successes not only validated the technical feasibility of plant cell cultures but also paved the way for further investment and innovation in the field. The pioneering work in this era set important benchmarks that have since driven the evolution of the technology towards broader applications. Ecological and climate pressures: a catalyst for change In recent years, the global food landscape has been dramatically reshaped by environmental and societal pressures. Extreme weather conditions, including severe droughts, unseasonal heavy rains, and other climate-related disruptions, have significantly impacted the production of key agricultural commodities, like coffee. Rising prices and supply shortages are clear indicators of how vulnerable traditional farming practices can become in the face of climate change. Beyond coffee, ecological shifts and climate pressures have also impacted other essential crops, from cocoa to various tropical staples. Changing weather patterns, coupled with deforestation and the loss of pollinators, are increasingly limiting the productivity of conventional agriculture. These challenges have created an urgent need for alternative production methods that are both resilient and sustainable. The second wave: expanding to food, nutrition, cosmetics and materials In response to these mounting challenges, a new wave of companies is emerging that seeks to harness plant cell culture technology for a broader range of applications. This second wave is not limited to the production of high-value products; it also encompasses innovative approaches to food production and even the manufacture of sustainable materials. In the food sector, companies are now applying plant cell culture techniques to develop, for example, cocoa and coffee products. By cultivating plant cells under controlled conditions, these companies can create ingredients and extracts that offer consistent quality and precision-defined molecular profiles. This innovation is especially valuable in light of supply chain disruptions and the volatile pricing of traditional crops. In addition, leveraging plant cell culture can help stabilise production volumes, offering a buffer against the uncertainties of climate change Outside the realm of food, plant cell culture is also making inroads into material production. Pioneering efforts in in-vitro cotton production, for instance, are opening new avenues for sustainable textile manufacturing. Similarly, advances in the production of high-end tropical wood materials through cell culture are demonstrating the technology’s potential to replace or complement traditional sources. These developments point to a future where plant cell culture could play a pivotal role in reducing our reliance on environmentally sensitive agricultural practices. Driving down costs: two transformative trends Aside from ecological pressure, two major trends are transforming the potential of microbotanics. 1. Low-Tech Bioreactor Systems: The initial generation of plant cell culture operations relied on sophisticated bioreactor designs adapted from the biomedical industry. While these systems provided excellent control over the culture environment, they were often complex and costly to scale. Today, companies are increasingly adopting simplified, low-tech bioreactor designs that are both cost-effective and highly scalable. These new systems should provide sufficient control over cultivation conditions without the overhead associated with high-end equipment, thereby democratising access to plant cell culture technology for a broader range of enterprises. 2. Advances in Molecular Biology and Multi-Omics Technologies: Parallel to improvements in bioreactor design, there has been a rapid expansion in our understanding of plant molecular biology. Innovations in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and AI are now being integrated into plant cell culture processes. This enhanced understanding allows researchers and engineers to optimise cell lines for improved yield, cell density, genetic stability and target product synthesis. By fine-tuning the genetic and metabolic pathways within plant cells, production processes can achieve higher efficiency and consistency, making plant cell culture an increasingly competitive alternative to traditional farming methods. Together, these trends are not only driving down production costs but are also enabling the scaling up of plant cell culture operations, which is essential for their broader adoption in both food and materials industries. Collaboration: the key to long-term success Despite these promising developments, I believe the future success of plant cell culture technology depends on a collaborative approach. The complex science of plant cell biology and the engineering challenges of bioreactor design require the collective expertise of researchers, engineers and industry stakeholders. No single entity can address all the challenges in isolation. Sharing research, best practices and technological innovations is critical for overcoming obstacles, such as scale-up issues, genetic stability and cost efficiency. The Plant Cell Institute facilitates this kind of knowledge sharing. It brings together experts from academia and industry to collaborate on innovative solutions that address both current challenges and future opportunities. Their online communications and monthly community calls help to drive collective progress, ensuring that advancements in plant cell culture technology benefit the entire sector and contribute to global food security and sustainability.

London-based insect farm technology company Entocycle has partnered with Siemens to create the UK’s first fully digitalised insect farming showroom, aiming to demonstrate how insects can play a key role in addressing food waste and sustainable animal feed production. Located under four converted Victorian railway arches near London Bridge, the site showcases Entocycle’s insect bioconversion model, which turns food waste into protein using black soldier flies. The company hopes its central location will attract investors and talent to help scale the concept globally. Using Siemens’ digital twin technology, the facility was virtually modelled before construction to optimise space and minimise costs. The completed site now features robotic arms, AI-enabled automation systems, climate-controlled chambers and machine vision capable of monitoring thousands of larvae per second with near-perfect accuracy. Entocycle says the digital transformation has cut insect larval growth time and increased survival rates by 30%, helping prove the feasibility of scaling up insect farming operations. The process offers potential solutions to reduce the UK’s 10.7 million tonnes of annual food waste and reliance on imported soy for animal feed. Having completed a year of operations at the London site, Entocycle plans to expand the model to an industrial scale, targeting farms, agri-businesses and waste processors as future partners. Matt Simonds, managing director at Entocycle, said: “We’ve spent a decade developing this concept, which has grown from equipment pieced together from hardware retailers to the bespoke and highly advanced factory we’re running today. The London Bridge centre proves our concept, which leverages the black soldier fly as nature’s recycler, that can be scaled around the world to help tackle the dual issue of food waste and sustainability issues in animal feed supply. “Insect farming is an exciting emerging industry, and our vision is to be the go-to provider of technology to customers alongside our partner Siemens. In ten years’ time, we expect Entocycle-designed farms to be processing millions of tonnes of food waste around the world, saving millions of tonnes of carbon emissions with it. Partnering with Siemens to deliver our solution internationally provides us with the trust and scalability we need to deliver on our global ambitions.” Keith Thornhill, head of food and beverage for UK & Ireland at Siemens, added: “Entocycle has created the blueprint for high-tech insect farming. It’s successfully applied modern manufacturing technology to its highly niche subject of rearing black soldier flies. And the outcomes are clear to see in increased insect survival rates and slashing the time staff would spend counting insects."