NEW TECH FOODS

A new study from the University of Surrey, UK, and the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, has revealed that vertical farming could significantly benefit the environment while meeting the growing demand for fresh produce. The research – which focused on a vertical lettuce farm in the UK – indicates that this farming method can produce lettuce with a carbon footprint comparable to traditional field cultivation, while using 28 times less land. The study suggests that transitioning all UK lettuce production to vertical farms could save approximately 8,000 hectares of agricultural land, a crucial finding as the country grapples with land scarcity and the need for sustainable food production methods. Zoe M Harris, co-author and senior lecturer at Surrey’s Centre for Environment and Sustainability, said: “Our findings show that vertical farms can help reduce the climate impact of farming, especially if their electricity comes from renewable sources”. Moving on up The research team conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment of a commercial vertical farm, examining its environmental impacts from the delivery of inputs to the farm, through cultivation and harvesting, to the delivery of lettuce to its point of use in the restaurant market. The results revealed that the farm produced 740g of CO2 per kilogram of lettuce, which is on par with traditional farming methods. However, the vertical farm's ability to operate in urban settings significantly reduces transportation emissions, further enhancing its sustainability profile. In the study, researchers found that electricity usage constituted nearly 40% of the total climate change impact of the vertical farm. This underscores the importance of energy sources; when powered by renewable energy, the carbon footprint diminishes significantly. For instance, if the vertical farm were to use the current UK electricity average grid mix, the climate impact would increase approximately six-fold. Michael Gargaro, a researcher involved in the study, pointed out that the materials used in vertical farming also play a critical role in its environmental impact. Notably, jute plugs used for seed germination accounted for 18% of the farm's overall climate change impact. Gargaro suggested that exploring alternative materials such as coconut fibre or perlite could enhance the sustainability of vertical farms. “Using another material could make a vertical farm even more sustainable. Future research should consider alternatives like coconut fibre, hemp, or perlite,” he noted. Farms of the future Vertical farms use advanced technologies to grow crops in controlled environments, employing methods such as hydroponics, where plants are nourished with nutrient-rich water instead of soil. This innovation not only conserves land and water but also allows for year-round crop production, addressing food security challenges exacerbated by climate change and urbanisation. The study’s authors also examined other environmental impacts, such as water use and pollution. Vertical farming systems can use up to 90% less water than conventional farming methods due to closed-loop recycling systems. The research team highlighted that while vertical farming presents a lower overall climate change impact, it still has areas for improvement, particularly in reducing the environmental burden associated with waste management. In terms of waste management, the study evaluated the impacts of various disposal methods for non-recyclable waste generated by the vertical farm. Incineration, anaerobic digestion and industrial composting were considered, with findings indicating that incineration had a relatively low climate change impact compared to the other methods. However, the potential for energy recovery and the production of compost from anaerobic digestion and composting present attractive options for enhancing the sustainability of vertical farming. As the global population is expected to reach nearly 11 billion by 2100, the urgency for sustainable agricultural solutions is paramount. The UK currently imports a significant portion of its vegetables, relying on foreign sources that contribute to higher transportation emissions. By adopting vertical farming practices, the UK could bolster its local food production, reduce reliance on imports, and ensure fresher produce for consumers. A promising practice The study's findings come at a pivotal time as food and beverage manufacturers look to adapt to changing consumer preferences and regulatory pressures. Vertical farming presents a promising avenue for reducing environmental impacts while ensuring a steady supply of fresh produce. The ability to grow crops closer to urban centres not only minimises transportation emissions but also addresses the increasing consumer demand for locally sourced products. Harris concluded: “Our study is an important first step towards demonstrating that vertical farming can be greener than previously thought, despite having a limited data range available. The insights gained from this research could inspire further exploration into the potential of vertical farming to transform the food sector.”

Swiss alt-protein producer NUOS has announced a strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Growth Fund to establish the ‘world’s most advanced’ facility for producing alternative protein at scale. Together the companies expect to create a category-leading innovation, production and commercialisation ecosystem serving global markets from Abu Dhabi. NUOS will establish a headquarters in Abu Dhabi, to leverage the area’s strategic location and resources to further its growth in Europe, North America and the Middle East North African market. NUOS MENA will be a central innovation, production and commercialisation hub to facilitate and manage its major projects. Under the partnership, NUOS expects to become a major independent contract development and manufacturing organisation for alternative proteins, able to overcome current limitations by delivering scale, quality and price-parity with conventional meat products – unlocking mass demand at price points and product quality that the consumer expects. The company will also collaborate with Abu Dhabi-based R&D institutes in areas related to innovative and sustainable food technologies. It plans to form partnerships with Abu Dhabi-based universities to build talent capabilities related to sustainable food technologies. Badr Al-Olama, director general at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, said: “The development of a world-leading alternative protein production facility in Abu Dhabi marks a significant step forward for both the UAE and the wider region. Once operational, the facility will add scale, diversity and accessibility to our growing food ecosystem, bringing with it real-world benefits that will be immediately felt by consumers. Importantly, this development sends a strong vote of confidence about Abu Dhabi’s intent to be an influential global player in sustainable food solutions, where the Emirate is openly embracing a future for food characterised by innovations that deliver impact.” Bjoern Witte, chairman of NUOS, added: “NUOS was created to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food system. Foundational to achieving this goal is creating a giga factory for alternative protein that can meet the global consumer demands for high quality meat alternative products at competitive prices. For the launch of our first giga facility, we have been looking for the right partner who shares the vision, mission and has the ecosystem to drive a global transition.” Witte continued: “Among all of the nations’ proposals NUOS received, it was clear from the outset that Abu Dhabi would be the natural partner. Through a combination of their vision, commitment, local infrastructure and long-term partnership appetite we felt that we could accelerate this transition to a sustainable food system together, and create the gold standard for the food industry globally.” Led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and Abu Dhabi Investment Office, AGWA is expected to become a global hub for novel food and ingredients, as well as the technologies that increase access to and enable the efficient utilisation of water resources. This cluster is designed to support local suppliers and exporters, serving as a platform to maximise commercial opportunities. The cluster aims to meet increasing global demand, alleviate pressures on agricultural systems, address shifting dietary patterns, capitalise on technological advancements and support global food security, ensuring a reliable and resilient supply chain. This is the latest in a number of investments in the cell-ag space in Abu Dhabi. In June, Israeli cultured meat firm Believer Meats announced it was partnering with AGWA to boost cultivated meat capabilities in Abu Dhabi, and, in March, Novel Foods Group unveiled plans to build a new $500 million biotech production hub in the United Arab Emirates. By 2045, AGWA is expected to contribute AED 90 billion (approx. $24.5 billion) in incremental GDP to Abu Dhabi’s economy, creating 60,000+ new jobs and attracting AED 128 billion (approx. $34.85 billion) in investments. Top image: ©NUOS #AGWA #AbuDhabi #NUOS

In this instalment of The Cell Base's ‘Start-up spotlight,' we speak to Steen Ooi, PhD, founder, CEO and CSO of Livestock Labs, a California, US-based firm that specialises in developing genetically engineered cell lines for the cultivated meat sector. What inspired the establishment of Livestock Labs, and what is the company's primary focus in the cell-ag space? My time as lead of porcine cell engineering at New Age Eats alerted me to a systemic problem facing the industry – access to dependable cell lines capable of delivering and growing at the necessary scale and under conditions where the economics work. Coming from academia with over 25 years of utilising genetic tools to control and manipulate cells, it seemed obvious that genetic modification (GM) presented an ideal solution. As such, Livestock Labs' sole focus is to use genetic engineering to create livestock cells that are tailor-made for cellular agriculture, for companies needing that starter material as an ingredient for food products, as well as those focused on tech development. How does Livestock Labs leverage genetic engineering, data analytics and machine learning to develop cell lines tailored for cultivated meat production? When we talk about cells tailored for cultivated meat production, we mean cells that have the necessary traits for reproducible large-scale growth and production. These phenotypes include immortalisation, suspension growth, tolerance to metabolic stress and long-term genetic stability, which, in turn, underpins functionality such as the ability to correctly undergo terminal differentiation. Data analytics and machine learning (ML) are great discovery tools that help uncover the molecular pathways and characteristics that underpin these traits. With these insights, Livestock Labs utilises genetic engineering techniques such as homology-dependent repair and targeted integration to introduce genetic payloads that confer these desired characteristics, ensuring our cell lines are optimised for cultivated meat production. Phase-contrast/bright-field micrographs showing pig-derived fibroblasts at 4x magnification, 10x and 20x magnification What specific challenges in R&D and scaling production does Livestock Labs address for its clients in the cultivated meat industry? Currently, all cultivated meat companies require access to cell line development, whether in-house or through a contract research organisation. Even companies that are focused on specific parts of the value chain, such as scaffolds, media or bioreactors, need to invest in cell line generation even though this is not their primary focus. Consequently, the time and resources available are sub-optimal to create and fully characterise cells that can go the distance. Livestock Labs aims to solve all this by creating fully characterised, production-ready cell lines that will serve as the foundation for efficient, cost-effective and high-quality meat production and the gold standard for R&D. How do your stable and cost-effective cell lines help mitigate the financial and technical burdens typically faced by cultivated meat producers? By harnessing genetic engineering, we can create cells with capabilities suited for cultivated meat’s unique requirements. One of the key cost drivers of growing cells and generating biomass is the media used, specifically the provision of serum/serum replacements and growth factors. We can engineer cells that produce these factors, reducing or even obviating their use in growth media. We’re also developing novel genetic switches using food-appropriate compounds to enable temporal-spatial control of genetic payloads – by using compounds that are a fraction of the cost of growth factors, we can help further reduce production costs. In addition, the use of genetic engineering to control cells enables reproducible growth and more predictable production, reducing run-to-run variability and helping customers develop and ‘lock in’ workflows. Can you describe the key technologies or processes that differentiate your cell lines from those currently available in the market? Companies that provide primary cells from a species of interest are not new; however, the cells available are in no way production-ready and require time and resources to get them there, which is in contrast to Livestock Labs’ cells that will be production-ready from the start. Some companies provide cells that are either ‘spontaneous’ or selected for desired phenotypes. Such cells inherently carry mutations that, while producing the desired phenotypes, may also cause unintended pleiotropic effects affecting their performance and long-term stability, which in turn impacts regulatory approval. Genetic engineering allows for the precise introduction of genetic payloads of interest: we know where the modifications are and can screen for cells that only carry the intended modifications. How does Livestock Labs ensure the consistency, quality and scalability of its cell lines for large-scale production? Livestock Labs’ cells will undergo rigorous characterisation from the start to ensure the precision of the genetic modifications made, their performance and long-term stability. Our cells will also undergo long-term culture and regular testing to identify the lines with the greatest stability and functionality. As part of our development process, we will partner with various stakeholders to assess cell performance in pilot and more large-scale production runs. How has Livestock Labs navigated regulatory challenges, and what strategies have been crucial in bringing your cell lines to market? As veterans in cultivated meat, we understand the crucial importance of ensuring our cells will satisfy regulatory requirements. It is important to note that, as a B2B supplier of cell lines to the industry rather than a producer of final food products, Livestock Labs' cells do not require regulatory approval. That said, from our inception, a guiding principle has been integrating regulatory compliance into the design of our cells. Our primary market is the US, and a common misconception is that the use of GM automatically subjects any such cells to additional regulatory requirements – the fact that GM is already an integral part of the US food systems firmly dispels this notion. Cell lines are classified as a food ingredient, and safety is paramount for their approval for use in food products for human consumption. We are working closely with the US Food and Drug Association, and as we create and characterise our cells, we will continue to seek guidance on the data required to satisfy claims relevant to safety. For customers seeking to use our cell lines in their food products, this approach ensures regulatory compliance and offers significant cost and time savings during the pre-market notice application process. Can you share any significant collaborations or partnerships that have played a pivotal role in the development and success of your cell lines? We are currently in the process of initiating conversations that will lead to exciting pilot projects from 2025 onwards. We plan to collaborate with up to ten companies and institutions by providing them with our cell lines to test in their R&D pipelines. In exchange, these partners will provide detailed data on the performance of our cell lines. Through these collaborations, our partners will gain early access to our most cutting-edge cell lines, and we will prioritise their interests when engineering future cell lines to match specific requirements and desired properties. How does Livestock Labs' evolving cell line portfolio provide a competitive advantage for your clients in the cultivated meat industry? Clients should view Livestock Labs similarly to microchip manufacturers, such as Intel and ARM. Like these companies, our cell lines will be upgraded periodically to deliver the characteristics that customers demand and incorporate insights from the latest research in tissue culture and genetic engineering. Whether clients are working on media formulations, scaffolds, bioreactors or the final meat product, our evolving cell line portfolio will allow them to focus on their core competencies. By outsourcing their cell line needs to us, clients save time and money while ensuring they have access to the best cells on the market, providing them with a significant competitive edge in the cultivated meat industry. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know? I don’t envision a future where cultivated meat is able to fulfil its potential as a viable alternative means of mass food production without the involvement of genetic engineering. This places Livestock Labs front and centre, and we intend to be integral to the evolution and success of cultivated meat.

A new study by Israel’s Believer Meats and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) demonstrates how cell-based meat can be produced in a cost-effective way. Believer Meats’ founder Professor Yaakov Nahmias and a multidisciplinary team at HUJI found that continuous manufacturing addresses the sector’s key challenges of scalability and cost. The study, ‘Continuous Manufacturing of Cultivated Meat: Empirical Economic Analysis,’ published in Nature Food, demonstrates the use of tangential flow filtration – an efficient way to separate and purify biomolecules – for the continuous manufacturing of cultivated meat. The bioreactor assembly permits biomass expansion to 130 billion cells per litre, achieving yields of 43% weight per volume. The process was carried out continuously over 20 days, enabling daily biomass harvests. The research also introduced an animal component-free culture medium, priced at $0.63 per litre, which supports the long-term, high-density culture of chicken cells. Utilising this data, the team conducted a techno-economic analysis of a hypothetical 50,000-litre production facility. The analysis indicates that the cost of production of cultivated chicken could be reduced to $6.20 per pound, aligning with the price of organic chicken. For context, the only cultivated meat currently available in supermarkets – Good Meat's chicken – costs more than $20 per pound, and cultivated cells only constitute 3% of the product. Believer Meats’ Nahmias said: “We were inspired by how Ford's automated assembly line revolutionised the car industry 110 years ago. Our findings show that continuous manufacturing enables cultivated meat production at a fraction of current costs, without resorting to genetic modification or mega-factories. This technology brings us closer to making cultivated meat a viable and sustainable alternative to traditional animal farming.” Bruce Friedrich, president of The Good Food Institute, commented: “GFI applauds the spirit of openness that continues to characterise cultivated meat researchers like Nahmias and his colleagues, who understand that showing the scientific potential of cultivated meat will benefit all scientists working in the field”. The GFI’s principal scientist of cultivated meat, Elliot Swartz, added: “This important study provides numerous data points that demonstrate the economic feasibility of cultivated meat. The study confirms early theoretical calculations that serum-free media can be produced at costs well below $1/litre without forfeiting productivity, which is a key factor for cultivated meat achieving cost-competitiveness.” “Empirical data is the bedrock for any cost model of scaled cultivated meat production, and this study is the first to provide real-world empirical evidence for key factors that influence the cost of production, such as media cost, metabolic efficiency and achievable yields in a scalable bioprocess design.” The research represents the first demonstration of cost-efficient manufacturing of cultivated meat and the first empirical economic analysis based on solid data. It is a collaborative effort involving engineers, biologists and chemists at the HUJI and Believer Meats, which is currently building the ‘world's first’ large-scale industrial production facility for cultivated chicken. #Israel #price #HUJI #BelieverMeats #research #HebrewUniversityofJerusalem

As the environmental and economic costs of conventional meat production become ever clearer, the shift towards alt-proteins isn't just a trend – it's a necessity. With the benefits of these innovations well understood, the question now is how we can accelerate their integration into our food systems. In this opinion piece, Yvonne Armitage, principle strategic programme manager at UK CPI, delves into the critical role that cell-based meat can play in protecting our planet, while also driving economic growth and ensuring the resilience of our food supply chains. Even a cursory glance down aisles in our local supermarket should offer a window into how much the food industry has changed over the past decade or so. The shelves are now full of plant-based produce aimed at providing alternative options to traditionally produced goods which contain meat or dairy. This tectonic shift is in part down to the enormous changes in our society and culture as people have become more aware and mindful of environmental and animal welfare issues. But there are other key factors at play. Governments across the globe are under pressure to deliver policies to address the problem of climate change. The food industry, in its current form, is said to be responsible for 26% of total greenhouse gas emissions globally. This means there are significant incentives for governments and investors to initiate change in the way we protect our food security as well as tackle this issue which is already impacting the planet. And, there are plenty of examples which demonstrate the level of financial support governments are providing for novel food production, including cultivated meat, in order to alternative solutions for protein production in particular. For example, earlier this year, the Netherlands announced €65 million in funding for cultivated meat. In 2020, Singapore became the first country to approve the sale of cultivated meat (chicken), making headlines globally. This was followed by Israel giving pre-approval for cultivated beef and the US. This has paved the way for countries that are supporting cultivated meat production through research financing to start to consider their policy positions, including the UK, with the Israeli company Aleph Farms having submitted an application to the Food Standards Agency for approval of its cultivated beef. At CPI we have received approval from the local authority and coveted FSSC22000 certification which allows us to produce foodstuffs such as meat alternatives and other food ingredients to food grade standards, which enables us to support the burgeoning number of new and young companies actively developing products for these markets While conventional food production must adapt and become more sustainable, many examples of novel food production have the potential to reduce the environmental impact by up to 45% due to their sustainable production methods, using less land than traditional animal rearing for instance. However, it is those environmental concerns which have placed the novel food industry as the fastest-growing area of food production. From 2010 to 2022, alternative protein companies raised $14.2 billion and the investments made in this industry doubled nearly every year during that period. Alternative protein-based food markets in Europe and the UK are also projected to grow to £6.8 billion by 2025. For the EU and UK, current meat alternatives (£1.3 billion) and dairy alternatives (£2.7 billion) represent only 0.7% and 3% of the total meat and dairy market share respectively, which indicates a huge opportunity for further market growth. Most of these are plant-based products, but the development of products from fermentation are gaining traction fast. An even smaller percentage of that is taken up by cultivated meat specifically. In the UK, there are now at least 100 companies which have a business line in alternative protein fermentation, including major food companies. These figures suggest one thing, the market with high potential for growth in the food industry certainly includes the fermenter, which has the advantage of being fully contained in production and does not suffer from the vagaries of the weather. And, it’s not as if we can say consumers aren’t willing to shift towards cultivated products. A survey conducted by the Food Standards Agency earlier this year found that over 30% of those surveyed would be willing to try cultivated meat. All this sounds very promising but it’s fair to say nobody has quite cracked the code of getting cultivated meat onto our shelves and into our mouths in a significant way and at a cost that is palatable. That’s because there are significant barriers preventing consumers from regularly seeing 'two-for-one' offers on cultivated meat burgers. The reasons for this are primarily down to the fact that cultivated meat is a young and emerging market. The potential for growth is there, but the methods needed to commercialise this kind of produce at the scales needed are not yet available at high volumes. But as with any new technology work is ongoing to design new processes to de-risk scale up. At a time when people's pockets are shallow and a cost-of-living crisis continues to blight economies, it is imperative that we find new solutions in order to stimulate economies and provide cost-effective produce for consumers. In the northeast of England, there are plenty of projects underway which are racing towards this solution. A number of university spinouts and industry leaders are now developing new engineered protein materials to ensure they can ultimately produce cultivated meat on an industrial scale. Producing cultivated meat involves four key components: isolated muscle and fat cells from an animal; a culture medium to grow the cells; a scaffold to mimic the structural properties of muscle and other components of meat; and a bioreactor for cellular growth. The aim is to generate products that have more cost parity and can become part of everyday diet rather than a one-off curiosity that provides consumers with choices. Governments, innovators, academics and businesses alike recognise there is lot riding on the success of cell-based meat production in order to contribute to food security and mitigating climate change. It is obvious we need innovation to ensure successful products form part of the solution to some of the biggest challenges we face as a society. One thing is clear, there are huge challenges ahead for cultivated meat producers but there is also huge potential for business and benefits for consumers.

US precision fermentation specialist De Novo Foodlabs has announced an additional funding raise, bringing its total funding to $4 million. The food-tech company, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, produces an animal-free lactoferrin protein ingredient, named NanoFerrin, using precision fermentation. De Novo said its recent funding raise, spearheaded by sustainable protein venture capital firm Joyful Ventures, shows promising potential for the animal-free protein solution to ‘reshape’ the health and wellness landscape. This latest funding round follows initial investments from Sustainable Food Ventures, Siddhi Capital, Pascual Innoventures, UM6P Ventures, Cult Food Science and Prithvi Capital. The global lactoferrin market was valued at $773 million in 2023, and is projected to grow annually by 15.8% over the next decade. Lactoferrin is a functional protein primarily found in milk. It plays a key role in infant development and is linked to a range of health benefits for adults, such as improved immunity, brain health, iron absorption, gut health and longevity. Additionally, it has been shown to help alleviate aging-related changes through its anti-oxidation, anti-cellular senescence, and anti-inflammation properties. Traditional extraction methods from bovine milk are ‘prohibitively expensive’ and ‘plagued by sustainability and ethical challenges,’ De Novo Foodlabs said. The start-up was established to address these issues by developing an alternative lactoferrin that delivers all of the health benefits without ethical and environmental drawbacks. Jean Louwrens, CEO and co-founer of De Novo Foodlabs, commented: “The lactoferrin market has long been hindered by high prices and inconsistent supply. Our team of leading scientists and engineers has dedicated themselves to overcoming these challenges through precision fermentation technology, and we are thrilled to have achieved a breakthrough.” Louwrens added: “NanoFerrin is not only more affordable and eco-friendly; importantly, it also provides a reliable supply source compared to traditional bovine lactoferrin products. We are excited to collaborate with our investors to elevate De Novo to new heights.” Top image: ©De Novo Foodlabs #DeNovoFoodlabs #US #precisionfermentation #altdairy

Researchers at Técnico Lisboa, the School of Engineering, Technology and Science at the University of Lisbon, have successfully produced cultured sea bass fillets using 3D bioprinting. The researchers say this is the 'world's first' cultivated 3D bioprinted sea bass fillet. The university’s research in cultivated seafood first began in 2019 as part of its project for the Entrepreneurship course unit, with the aim to develop fish for sushi. Since then, the research has continued in the laboratory of the Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB). The researchers’ first attempts produced thin sashimi slices – current progress has led to fillets up to six centimeters thick, featuring the characteristic texture of sea bass. The 3D-bioprinted seabass also possesses the fish’s aroma due to the microalgae-based bioinks used for bioprinting. “Depending on the microalgae selected for the inks used in the bioprinter, it is possible to produce the desired smell, having the sea or fishy odor that consumers are looking for,” Técnico Lisboa said in a statement. "We start with cells, usually stem cells, which have the potential to differentiate into the types of cells present in meat and fish, such as muscle cells and fat cells,” Diana Marques, PhD student in bioengineering at iBB, explained. “Next comes the food processing step – we have a biomass, a huge set of cells, and we can put them all together and create simple products like a goldfish or a nugget,” Marques continued. “If we want to make a more structured product – and if we apply techniques like 3D bioprinting – we can make a fish fillet or a steak." For 3D bioprinting, two 'ingredients' are essential – a bioprinter capable of completing the task, and bioinks suitable for human consumption. The bioinks were developed by Marques during her master's thesis and the bioprinter is the result of the work of Afonso Gusmão, a PhD student at Técnico and researcher at iBB who, during his master's thesis, adapted a commercial 3D printer for use in this project. Gusmão added: "My goal is to test the various inks that have been developed – each one has different parameters such as viscosity and printing temperature than the previous one”. From being designed for use with plastic, the printer now operates with bioinks containing sea bass cells, some for muscle material and others for the fat naturally present in fillets of the fish. Gusmão is now developing bioreactors in which cell cultures are exposed to small electric shocks, stimulating them to align themselves along a direction, called electrospinning. He said: “If we are creating these fibres, we can provide textures and structure to the thread that we would not otherwise achieve". Once the differentiation between muscle and fat cells has been made in the cell culture, the ingredients are ready to incorporate into the respective bioinks. These are then inserted into the bioprinter syringes and form the basis for the production of the fillet. Now that the cultivated fillets are a reality, the team plans to conduct taste tests with the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), which will compare these prototypes to conventionally farmed fish. Earlier this year, Atlantic Fish Co unveiled the 'world's first' cultivated black sea bass , made with both cultured sea bass cells and plant-based ingredients. #Portugal #TécnicoLisboa #UniversityofLisbon #3Dbioprinting

Plant cell technology firm Ayana Bio has announced the appointment of Jill Zullo to the company's board of directors. Zullo is the former president and CEO of NatureWorks and was global managing director of bio-intermediates at Cargill. Zullo has experience in forging strategic partnerships, with an ability to ‘swiftly establish trust and foster collaboration,’ which Ayana Bio expects to aid in accelerating its commercialisation. In her role at Cargill, Zullo created a joint venture between Cargill and HELM called QoreTM that utilises Geno BDO technology to produce QIRATM (renewable 1-4,butane diol) for use in the apparel, automotive and packaging industries, among other applications. With this in mind, Zullo will support Ayana Bio's development platform to deliver innovation and profitable results. As a board member, Ayana Bio expects Zullo to bring a balance of strategic perspective and market discipline to business planning, driving scalable growth. Zullo said: “I am excited to join Ayana's board of directors as we work to establish Ayana Bio as a leader in the plant cell culture space. Ayana Bio's customer-centric focus to develop bioactives aligns with my values in bringing sustainable biotechnology innovation to the consumer product goods market.” Frank Jaksch, CEO of Ayana Bio, commented: "Jill's expertise in biotechnology and her customer-focused approach to innovation aligns perfectly with our mission to collaborate with customers and introduce products to the market that solve the challenges in the botanical supply chain”. Ena Cratsenburg, a member of Ayana Bio's board of directors, added: “Jill's extensive career of leading biotechnological advancements across food and industrials will bring a fresh yet valuable perspective to the Ayana Bio board". #AyanaBio #US

Singapore-based cultivated meat start-up Ants Innovate held a private tasting on Wednesday (14 August) to inaugurate Cell Essence, its first functional ingredient for the production of hybrid cultivated meat. Guests included Esco Aster, Temasek Foundation, Enterprise Singapore, The Straits Times, Phoon Huat, The Good Food Institute APAC, A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research, APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture and Food Studio Holdings. The tasting session was co-organised with Esco Aster. Cell Essence is a cultivated pork oil, specially crafted for hybrid meat. The event showcased the culinary potential of Cell Essence in three cell-enhanced alternative meat dishes: 🧆 Meatballs 🥟 ⁠Shanghai-style soup dumplings (xiao long bao) 🍢 Grilled meat cut skewers The dishes also featured Ants Innovate's other proprietary functional ingredients – Scalable Micro-Imprinted Lapis Expansion or ‘SMILE’ lean meat cuts and NouMi Vegan Base. In a post on social media, one guest said: “The versatility of Ants Innovate's cultivated porcine oil as a cooking ingredient is remarkable!” Another guest said: “It was an amazing event demonstrating that affordable and tasty cell-based or hybrid dishes can be served on our dining table soon." Ants Innovate is an alumni of Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), and was founded in 2020. The start-up aims to supply functional ingredients for cultivated and plant-based protein manufacturers to make premium whole-cut meats. #AntsInnovate #Singapore #tasting

The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology in Israel (MOST) have collaborated on a new UK/Israel Research Collaboration. The initiative will be delivered by the British Council in partnership with MOST as part of the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF). The programme supports the UK and Israeli science and innovation sectors by providing early-stage grants for collaborative research projects. The programme will fund both new and existing connections at group, departmental and institutional levels in both countries, with development opportunities for early career researchers. The call is open for applications from UK and Israeli institutions for research proposals, offering grants of up to £200,000 over three years to collaborative research projects. It closes on 30 September 2024. The programme will fund new and existing connections between research groups in Israel and the UK and encourage these collaborations to support the exchange of research and innovation expertise and the translation of research knowledge into tangible benefits. The initiative invites collaborative proposals that contribute to both core themes – ‘Transformative Technologies’ and ‘Tomorrow’s Talent’. 🔬 Transformative Technologies – developing responsible technologies to secure our place in tomorrow’s world. Specific topics include food-tech (including alternative proteins and advanced food packaging), quantum technologies and AI in drug discovery. 🤝 Tomorrow’s Talent – nurturing talent to drive inclusion, research and innovation. Who can apply? Both UK and Israel applicants must be leading or established researchers. Additionally, UK researchers must be permanent employees at their institutions or working at a not-for-profit higher education institution or eligible research organisation with the capacity to undertake high-quality research. Applicants will find out whether they are successful in February next year. Top image: ©Israeli cultivated meat start-up Aleph Farms' cultured beef steak #UK #Israel

Article correction 14 August 2024: Recent updates have revealed that the US Department of Defense has clarified its stance on the funding of alternative protein sources. Contrary to previous reports, the DoD is not investing specifically in the manufacturing of cultivated meat. A Pentagon spokesperson told The Cell Base: “DoD is not funding the manufacture of cultivated meat. There is no cultivated meat in military rations nor plans to feed troops cultivated meat. This research involves plant protein-based mycoprotein ingredients that are shelf-stable, have high protein and fibre contents and can be dehydrated." They continued: "The ability of the US military to project power entails an equally imposing logistical chain to maintain stocks of food, water, medicines, fuel and other supplies critical to troops and equipment. That chain gets stretched to extremes when the military is called upon to rapidly deploy anywhere in the world and sustain operations without the benefit of fixed infrastructure." The Pentagon spokesperson explained how, accordingly, the DoD is actively investigating ways critical supplies are procured in addition to creating systems that can rapidly produce materials, including food onsite, when and where they are needed. Adding that, in its research to produce food onsite, the DoD is working closely with the FDA to ensure all relevant guidelines are adhered to and regulatory standards are met. Curt Chaffin, director of policy at the Good Food Institute, also spoke to us regarding the benefits of new food technologies: "New food biotechnologies like plant-based, fermentation-derived or cultivated meat can offer huge benefits to domestic national security and America's global competitiveness. Not only can alternative proteins diversify food systems, prevent supply chain disruptions and mitigate risks of bioterrorism, but they also offer tremendous job creation opportunities. We applaud the US government’s support of scientific research into new agricultural innovations that will help promote national security and domestic manufacturing.” The original story continues below. The US Department of Defense (DoD) has announced plans to provide $17.5 million in funding for the research and development of novel protein sources. The public-private bio-manufacturing consortium, BioMADE, which is sponsored by the DoD, has released a call for alternative protein projects. This announcement comes as part of the Strategic Long-Term Aperture and Modernization (SLAM) Project Call, a new initiative aimed at supporting innovations in food technology for national security applications. The SLAM Project Call specifically identifies cellular agriculture and alternative proteins as key focus areas. The funding opportunity seeks to support innovations in cellular agriculture and biomanufacturing, focusing on reducing the carbon footprint and enhancing sustainability in military operations. The DoD is seeking proposals that can ‘provide novel protein sources to support warfighter nutritional needs’ and ‘enable new capabilities for food systems to support the future force.’ According to the project call, the total funding available for this initiative is $17.5 million, with individual awards ranging from $500,000 to $3 million. One of the primary goals of the initiative is to advance sustainable food production methods. Companies working on food production technologies that minimise CO2 emissions are encouraged to apply. This includes those involved in cell-based meat and cultured protein production, fermentation processes, feedstock utilisation. The document also encourages proposals on carbon capture technologies that can convert greenhouse gases like CO2 into bioproducts, as well as projects that can lower the resource requirements for bioindustrial processing steps. The SLAM Project Call is open to a wide range of applicants, including academic institutions, small businesses and non-profit organisations. The DoD is particularly interested in proposals that can leverage existing R&D efforts, with the goal of accelerating the commercialisation and deployment of these innovative food technologies. The news comes after various US states have passed, or are attempting to pass, laws banning the production and consumption of cultured meat. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) issued a statement condemning the research grant. NCBA's VP of government affairs, Ethan Lane, said: “It is outrageous that the Department of Defense is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to feed our heroes like lab rats...American troops deserve to be served that same wholesome, natural meat and not ultra-processed, lab-grown protein that is cooked up in a chemical-filled bioreactor. This misguided research project is a giant slap in the face to everyone that has served our country. Our veterans and active-duty troops deserve so much better than this.” It is important to recognise that such opposition often stems from agribusiness interests seeking to protect their own market share. The portrayal of traditional meat as the epitome of safety and wholesomeness ignores the mounting evidence of its environmental impact and the ethical concerns surrounding industrial livestock farming. Cell-cultured protein offers a promising avenue for sustainable and ethical protein production. By decoupling meat production from the need for vast land use and intensive resource consumption, cultured meat presents a cleaner and safer alternative to conventional meat. #USDepartmentofDefense #US

Yesterday (13 August), the US Institute for Justice – a national nonprofit public interest law firm – announced that it is partnering with Upside Foods to challenge Florida’s law prohibiting the manufacture, distribution or sale of cultivated meat. Upside has filed a legal complaint in the US District Court for the Northern District of Florida, calling Florida’s SB 1084 ‘unconstitutional’. This injunction comes just 42 days after the ban in Florida came into effect. In a statement on social media, Upside Foods said: “We’ve always thought it was clucked up that Florida’s politicians want to choose what you eat. We disagree. What you eat should be your choice – not something determined by special interests.” Upside’s cultivated chicken has been deemed safe and approved for sale by the FDA and USDA . “We should trust their judgment more than inexperienced and uninformed politicians,” the statement added. Upside Foods’ actions against the ban So far, Upside Foods has: 📣 Started a petition against the ban 🤝 Worked behind the scenes to push back before the law went into effect 🌴 Held a tasting event days before the law went into effect to give Floridians a chance to try cultivated meat Paul Sherman, senior attorney at the Institute of Justice, said in a press conference that the ban had ‘nothing to do with protecting public health and safety...Florida’s law is a transparent example of economic protectionism. It was passed following intense lobbying by cattle interests, and its protectionist purpose was no secret.” Who, what, where, when, why? This comes after Florida governor Ron DeSantis's announcement on 1 May that the legislation made it a second-degree misdemeanour to manufacture, transport, commercialise or sell cell-based meat within Florida, with penalties of $5,000 in fines, 60 days in jail and businesses having their licenses revoked. At the time, DeSantis said: “What we’re protecting here is the industry against acts of man, against an ideological agenda that wants to finger agriculture as the problem, that views things like raising cattle as destroying our climate...the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals.” He continued: “The bill that I’m going to sign today is going to say, basically, take your fake, lab-grown meat elsewhere. We’re not doing that in the state of Florida...This is not just being done willy-nilly. They want to do this stuff in a lab to be able to wipe the people sitting here out of business. We will not let that happen in the great state of Florida.” Who are the defendants? The listed defendants include Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and state attorneys from four of the biggest jurisdictions in Florida: Jack Campbell in the Second Judicial Circuit; Bruce Bartlett in the Sixth Judicial Circuit; Andrew Bain in the Ninth Judicial Circuit; and Katherine Fernandez Rundle in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Wilton Simpson said yesterday on X (formerly Twitter): “This lawsuit is ridiculous. Lab-grown ‘meat’ is not proven to be safe enough for consumers and it is being pushed by a liberal agenda to shut down farms. Food security is a matter of national security, and our farmers are the first line of defence.” “As Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, I will fight every day to protect a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply. States are the laboratory of democracy, and Florida has the right to not be a corporate guinea pig. Leave the Frankenmeat experiment to California.” Key players in the legal challenge On the conference call organised by the Institute for Justice yesterday, an attorney with the group dismissed the safety concerns expressed by Simpson (see Paul Sherman’s quote at the top of this story). The lawsuit says that the ban violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution because “it is expressly pre-empted by federal law regulating meat and poultry products,” Sherman added. “SB 1084 separately violates the dormant aspect of the Commerce Clause, because it was enacted with the express purpose of insulating Florida agricultural businesses from innovative, out-of-state competition like Upside. This Court should thus declare SB 1084 unconstitutional and enjoin its operation.” Institute for Justice attorney Suranjan Sen said in a written statement: “For the same reason that California cannot ban orange juice made from oranges grown in Florida, Florida cannot ban Upside’s meat. A major purpose for enacting the Constitution was to prevent exactly this kind of economic protectionism, ensuring that all Americans can benefit from a free and open national market. Florida cannot ban products that are lawful to sell throughout the rest of the country simply to protect in-state businesses from honest competition.” Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of Upside Foods, said it was ‘surreal’ watching the Florida Legislature debate the bill. On the call yesterday, Valeti stated: “I watched the whole session, and I thought this is probably what it probably looked like several hundred years ago when people were challenging nearly every transformative innovation that came into the world and innovators had to fight and fight and fight. I felt like I was watching an old boys club trying to have a privileged group protected and protecting an incumbent industry. I just couldn’t believe that was happening at this day and age.” Florida is the first state in the country to ban cultivated meat. Alabama will become the second when its ban goes into effect on 1 October. Attorneys for the Institute for Justice say they hope to file for a preliminary injunction in federal court to stop the law from being enforced by the end of this week. #UpsideFoods #Florida #banning