Singapore

tHEMEat upcycles vegetable waste into a vegan version of the protein heme to boost meaty flavors in plant-based alternatives.

© tHEMEat
Ingredients

tHEMEat: Vegan Heme From Vegetable Waste to “Beef” the Flavor of Plant-Based Meat

While many manufacturers use precision fermentation-derived proteins or processed food additives to enhance the flavor of plant-based alternatives, the Singaporean company tHEMEat offers an innovative option: extracting the flavors locked within vegetables to “beef” their taste. Co-founded by Max Tham and joined by a team from the National University of Singapore, tHEMEat upcycles vegetable waste into a vegan version of the heme protein. Naturally occurring in animal flesh, heme is an iron-containing molecule that plays an essential role in creating the rich flavor of meat, a more intense scent, and taste. Challenged by the flavor gap between animal and plant-based meat, tHEMEat developed a proprietary tech for extracting and synthesizing flavors from different feedstocks and a unique formulation for adding species-specific flavors. The result is VEME, …

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Cultivated Fish Burger from Avant

Cultivated fish burger © Avant
Cultivated Seafood

Avant Meats to Expand Cultivated Fish Production Significantly by 2025, Following Successful Pilot Production

China’s first cultivated and seafood startup, Avant Meats, is set to expand its manufacturing capacity from 250 to 2000 L bioreactors at its pilot plant in Singapore by 2025, CEO and co-founder Carrie Chan said in an interview with the South China Morning Post. Chan, who expressed confidence in Avant Meats’ end-to-end platform for cultivated fish products, said the company aims to raise new capital for its ambitious expansion plans later this year. Already running the first pilot scale batches in 50 and 250 L, Avant has obtained many kilograms of cultivated fish per batch to create prototypes (fish maw and fillet) and send samples to potential customers. The data gathered from these pilot runs will serve as valuable information for the company’s larger-scale plans, …

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The Protein Brewery's flagship mycelium ingredient has received novel food approval in Singapore.

© The Protein Brewery
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

The Protein Brewery Receives Novel Food Regulatory Approval for Mycelium Protein in Singapore

Dutch fermentation specialist The Protein Brewery announces it has received regulatory approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for its flagship mycelium-derived ingredient Fermotein. The approval will enable the company to import, manufacture, and sell Fermotien or products containing it while expanding its operations in the country. Singapore has emerged as a hub for alternative proteins since the SFA set ambitious targets to produce 30% of the nation’s nutritional needs locally by 2030. As part of this strategy, the country seeks to incorporate safe, novel foods and ingredients that promise nutritional and sustainable benefits. The Finish biotech Solar Foods has also received approval in Singapore, where it recently debuted a chocolate bar made with an air protein called Solein. CEO Sue Garfitt comments: “The Protein Brewery …

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KARANA jackfruit expands into retail in singapore, debuts at plantega in NYC

Image courtesy of KARANA
Studies & Numbers

Multiethnic Asian Survey Reveals Consumer Preference for Plant-Based Proteins Over Cultivated Meat and Insect-Based Products

A unique multiethnic Asian population survey supported by the Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Fund Tier 1, exploring consumer acceptance of alternative proteins, shows that participants are most willing to consume plant-based meat, over cultivated meat and insect-based products. Conducted among 1,224 adult Singaporean citizens — 75% Chinese, 15% Indian, and 10% Malay participants — the research delves into the drivers and barriers to consuming alternative protein foods to shed light on ways to promote more sustainable diets. Through an online survey, researchers identified various factors influencing alternative protein food consumption, including familiarity and acceptance, attitudinal factors such as food neophobia, drug residue concerns, zoonotic diseases,  food curiosity, “unnaturalness,” and distrust in gene technology, and lastly, willingness to pay for these alternatives. Plant-based leads the way The …

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UMAMI Bioworks and Shiok Meats, have merged to establish a combined entity that will bring cultivated seafood closer to commercial viability.

Image provided
Company News

UMAMI Bioworks & Shiok Meats Merge to Commercialize Cultivated Seafood

Two cultivated seafood pioneers from Singapore — UMAMI Bioworks and Shiok Meats — have merged to establish a combined entity that will bring cultivated seafood closer to commercial viability. The strategic merge, believed to be the first in the cultivated seafood space, will leverage UMAMI Bioworks’ advanced production technologies with Shiok Meats’ research in crustacean cell cultivation. By combining their expertise, the companies expect to enhance go-to-market efficiencies, expand commercial opportunities, and accelerate regulatory approvals to introduce cultivated seafood products in the region while providing a production alternative to industrial fishing and aquaculture. Mihir Pershad, the CEO of UMAMI Bioworks, will lead the new company as CEO. He will be supported by global seafood investment leaders Hatch Blue and Aqua-Spark, who will join the company’s …

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Eat Just/ GOOD Meat Singapore Chicken

©Eat Just/GOOD Meat
Cultivated Meat

GOOD Meat Temporarily Pauses Cultivated Chicken Production in Singapore

Amended 4 March: The company wishes to emphasize that production is simply paused temporarily, and it plans to resume production and service to consumers very soon. GOOD Meat, the cultivated meat division of the US company Eat Just, has temporarily paused the production of cultivated chicken in Singapore. The Straits Times revealed that GOOD Meat’s primary facility and a new $61 million plant in Bedok, which was scheduled to open in Q3 of last year, have been closed as the company reconsiders its strategy in Asia. The company also canceled the construction of a JUST Egg production plant in an industrial state in Singapore.  Huber’s Bistro, which started offering GOOD Meat chicken at the beginning of 2023, is currently not carrying it anymore, although a …

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Prefer bean-free coffee

© Prefer
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Prefer Raises $2M for Bean-Free Coffee Made With Upcycled Ingredients & Fermentation

Singapore-based startup Prefer has raised $2 million to scale up the production of its bean-free coffee. The round was led by Forge Ventures, with participation from Better Bite Ventures, Sopoong Ventures, SEEDS Capital, Entrepreneur First, and Pickup Coffee. Prefer’s coffee alternative is made by using microbes to ferment upcycled ingredients such as waste bread, soy milk pulp, and spent brewer’s grain. The resulting mixture is then roasted and ground, using a proprietary process that provides a similar taste and aroma to conventional coffee. Sustainable and affordable The aim is offer a more sustainable alternative to coffee, which has a high carbon footprint and is heavily affected by climate change. Changing weather patterns and increased demand are expected to drive up coffee prices in the coming …

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Float Foods now offers its "revolutionary" technology for producing plant-based egg ingredients to food manufacturers.

© Image courtesy of Float Foods
Manufacturing & Technology

Float Foods Introduces Licensed Technology for Plant-Based Egg Yolk Manufacturing

Singapore’s plant-based egg brand, Float Foods, known for its OnlyEg products, including Eg Yolk and OnlyEg Patties, announces that it has received the FSSC 22000 License (Food Safety System Certification) for its already Halal-certified facility.  After this manufacturing milestone, Float Foods now offers its “revolutionary” technology for producing plant-based egg ingredients to food producers seeking to eliminate hen eggs from their production processes. Float Foods has developed a “machine” to create alternatives to eggs that are said to have the same taste and texture as traditional eggs: yolks that ooze and egg whites with bouncy elastic texture and elasticity. They can be served ‘raw’ or used as an ingredient in multiple applications, including pasta, noodles, sauces, pastries, mayonnaise, and baking products. Vinita Choolani, Float Foods’ founder …

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New report shows 42% of Japanese consumers would try cultivated meat,

© APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA)
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

New Report Finds 42% of Japanese Consumers Would Try Cultivated Meat, While 58% Are Not Familiar with Cell-Based Foods

APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA) has released a new report revealing that 42% of Japanese consumers are open to trying cultivated meat or seafood products, “as long as they have been proven safe.”  The report Prospect of Cultivated Meat & Seafood in Japan was commissioned by APAC-SCA and analyzed by Akira Igata, Project Lecturer at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo and Director of the Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA). The researchers surveyed 1,000 Japanese consumers in May 2023, aiming to gain insights into their perceptions and behavioral trends related to cultivated meat and seafood.  A strong emphasis on safety The findings show that 44% of respondents considered the presence of Japanese government regulations as the most important factor …

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Fengru Lin, TurtleTree CEO and co-founder

Fengru Lin, TurtleTree CEO and co-founder © TurtleTree
Fermentation

TurtleTree Secures First-Ever Vegan Certification in Precision Fermentation Dairy

After obtaining self-GRAS status last November for its animal-free lactoferrin, LF+, TurtleTree, a Singaporean biotech company operating in California, USA, announces that the product has officially obtained vegan certification.  TrutleTree’s protein and manufacturing process has been certified by Vegan Action, the leading vegan certification provider in the US. The vegan stamp ensures that consumers can trust the absence of animal products, byproducts, and animal testing in their products. According to the Singaporean biotech, this milestone establishes it as the first precision fermentation dairy company globally to obtain vegan certification. Meanwhile, it also marks the first time that Vegan Action gives the stamp to a novel protein in its 24-year trajectory with more than 15,000 products Vegan Certified. Fengru Lin, CEO and co-founder of TurtleTree, comments: …

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Cultivated Chicken FDA

© GOOD Meat
Cultivated Meat

Singapore’s Islamic Council Rules Cultivated Meat Halal “Under Certain Conditions”

The Fatwa Committee of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) announced last week that after conducting extensive deliberations for a year, they have determined that cultivated meat consumption can be considered halal “under specific conditions.” The specific halal requirements outlined by MUIS include ensuring that the cell lines used in cultivated meat production are derived from an animal species that Muslims are allowed to eat, that the cell-culture medium does not contain non-halal ingredients, and that the appropriate food safety regulatory agency approves the finished product. It’s worth noting that these requirements align with those released by Shariah scholars in Saudi Arabia last September.  “Incorporating novel foods into our diets, especially those cultivated through environmentally sustainable methods, holds the potential to address critical global challenges. This approach harmonizes with the fundamental …

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The Finnish food experience company Fazer announces the launch of the world's first chocolate bar powered by Solein in Singapore.

Image courtesy of Fazer
Products & Launches

Solar Foods and Fazer Unveil World’s First Air-Protein Chocolate Bar in Singapore

Finnish food producer Fazer announces the launch in Singapore of the world’s first chocolate bar powered by Solein. Solein, created by the Finish biotech Solar Foods, is a novel protein crafted through fermentation technology, utilizing microbes, carbon dioxide, and electricity without the need for agricultural resources, hence dubbed “air protein.” With this introduction, Fazer becomes the first fast-moving consumer goods company ever to offer a product made with Solein, marking as well the air protein’s retail debut in a consumer product. Solein received regulatory approval in Singapore in 2022, making it possible to introduce it to the public in various dishes, including a dairy-free chocolate gelato developed in collaboration with Fico, Solar Food’s restaurant partner. Taste the future Called “Taste the Future”, the vegan friendly …

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Vital Meat has submitted a novel food regulatory dossier to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) seeking pre-market approval for its cultivated chicken, Vital Chicken.

© Vital Meat
Cultivated Meat

France’s Vital Meat Submits Pre-Market Dossier to Launch Cultivated Chicken in Singapore

French cultivated meat company, Vital Meat, announces it has submitted a novel food pre-market regulatory dossier to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) seeking approval to launch its cultivated chicken, Vital Chicken, in the country. The biotech stated that Singapore‘s progressive thinking and willingness to embrace new technologies position it as an ideal market to launch its safe and delicious product.  If Vital Chicken receives the SFA’s pre-market approval, Vital Meat will become the first European cultivated meat company to sell its products in Singapore — a sought-after race among biotech companies. In 2019, SFA introduced a novel food regulatory framework, requiring companies to seek pre-market allowance by submitting safety assessments for SFA’s review. Singapore, the first country to allow cultivated meat, has approved only GOOD Meat’s cultivated …

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Meatiply raises funds to expand operations.

Chicken Yakitori prototype © Meatiply

Cultivated Meat

Meatiply Secures Funds to Expand Cell-Based Operations for Meat and Functional Ingredients

Meatiply, a Singapore-based cultivated meat startup, has reportedly raised $3.75 million in the first close of a seed funding round co-led by previous investor Wavemaker Partners and AgFunder with participation from Seeds Capital, the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore ( a government agency).  According to Benjamin Chua, co-founder and COO of Meatiply, the company is one of the few cultivated meat startups to raise seed funding this year. Despite the challenging conditions in climate investment, a second close is scheduled for Q1 2024. In 2022, the biotech secured $1 million in a pre-seed; with this round, the total raised capital amounts to $4.75 million.  Meatiply will commence operations at a new facility next year. With the newly raised capital, it will expand its R&D capabilities and …

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TurtleTree receives approval to commercialize animal-free lactoferrin in the USA

© TurtleTree
Fermentation

TurtleTree Obtains First-Ever Self-GRAS Status for Precision Fermentation-Derived Lactoferrin

Singaporean biotech TurtleTree claims that it has obtained the world’s first self-GRAS status (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA for a precision fermentation-derived lactoferrin, making it also the first Singaporean company to obtain self-GRAS for a synbio protein. This status confirms that TurtleTree’s animal-free lactoferrin is safe for human consumption, allowing the company to commercialize it in the USA. In May, the company unveiled the protein, branded under L+, claiming it as the world’s first animal-free lactoferrin. TurtleTree announced that it will supply LF+ for infant formulas, plant-based dairy, and sports nutrition products, including protein powders, functional beverages, meal replacement alternatives, and multivitamins, expecting profitability in 2024. The biotech company also announced that multiple clients have shown interest in buying a $500 million value of animal-free lactoferrin …

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A photo of the Tastilux product.

Image courtesy of Nourish Ingredients
Company News

Nourish Ingredients Establishes Strategic Hub for Animal-Free Fat in Singapore

Australian precision fermentation company Nourish Ingredients has revealed plans to establish its operations in Singapore to accelerate the production of animal-free fats. Just a few weeks ago, the company debuted its new fat Tastilux in a plant-based chicken wing to showcase its capabilities in improving the taste and smell of alternative meats. Nourish Ingredients will produce its flagship ingredient at Nurasa’s Food Tech Innovation Centre (FTIC), which features labs and a shared pilot facility. Nurasa is part of the Singapore government-owned investment accelerator firm Temasek. The Australian food tech has also partnered with ScaleUp Bio, a local CDMO launched by Nurasa and ADM, to support and accelerate its fermentation capacity and to work with the regulatory body, the Singapore Food Authority. Singapore’s regulatory and legal support, its production capabilities, …

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CJ Cheiljedang Bibigo plant-based dumplings

© CJ Cheiljedang
Products & Launches

CJ Cheiljedang Launches New Plant-Based Dumplings in the UK, Australia & Singapore

South Korean food company CJ Cheiljedang has expanded its plant-based dumpling range, sold under the brand name Bibigo, with two new products. The steamed dumplings are available in the varieties Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles with plant-based beef and vegetables) and Green Chili. They have initially been launched in the UK, Australia, and Singapore. CJ Cheiljedang already exports a range of dumplings and other plant-based products to around 30 countries worldwide, including Germany, India, and the US. However, the brand’s original dumplings are sold in pouches, whereas the new products come in a microwaveable tray for easier preparation. If the new format proves popular, it will be expanded to other export markets. CJ Cheiljedang launched its first plant-based products — including dumplings containing a meat alternative …

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A banner promoting Eat Just (GOOd Meat) cultivated chicken

© Eat Just
Studies & Numbers

Study Finds Singaporean Meat Consumers Prefer the Term ‘Cultivated Meat’

Researchers from Singapore Management University (SMU) conducted a study to determine what nomenclature used to describe cultivated meat would appeal to meat eaters, including consumers who have eaten cultivated meat in Singapore — the first country to approve the commercialization of a cultivated meat product (GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken). According to the findings, among the terms ‘lab-grown meat’, ‘animal-free meat’, ‘cultured meat’, ‘clean meat’ or ‘cell-based meat’, ‘cultivated meat’ emerged as the preferred name and was strongly associated with positive attitudes toward this novel food.  “That ‘cultivated meat‘ was the preferred terminology is insightful. Having a single, universally accepted term to describe this novel food technology not only helps to foster greater consumer understanding and acceptance but also reduces confusion about this new food source,” says Professor Mark Chong, …

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UMAMI Bioworks, previously Umami Meats, announces a business partnership with Maruha Nichiro-

© UMAMI Bioworks
Cultivated Seafood

UMAMI Bioworks and Japan’s Largest Seafood Company Join Forces to Bring Cultivated Seafood to Market

Cultivated seafood company UMAMI Bioworks, previously Umami Meats, announces a business partnership with Maruha Nichiro (TYO: 1333), Japan’s largest seafood company. By joining forces, the companies aim to build the infrastructure of Japan’s cultivated seafood industry. As part of the agreement, Maruha Nichiro will invest in UMAMI Bioworks, gaining access to its cell cultivation platform for producing and selling cultivated seafood. The partnership also involves a multi-faceted collaboration to scale UMAMI Bioworks’ process. Mihir Pershad, CEO of UMAMI Bioworks, comments: “Our seminal partnership with Maruha Nichiro, a global leader in crafting beloved food products, is a pivotal step in achieving our mission of addressing the challenge of feeding a growing global population while minimizing environmental impact. We have the development and production technology, but we require experienced partners with …

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Singapore NTU scientists with jackfruit developments

© NTU Singapore
Sustainability / Environment

Singapore: Scientists Are Developing Sustainable Process to Produce Lactic Acid from Jackfruit Seeds

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a sustainable and effective technique to produce lactic acid using discarded jackfruit seeds. Lactic acid plays an indispensable role in the industrial production and preservation of many foods. It is used at various stages of making staple foods like bread, yogurt, cheese, kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles. In 2022, around 1.5 million tons of lactic acid were produced worldwide. Lactic acid is added to dairy products to add flavor, controls the acidity of jams and canned fruit, and extends the shelf life of packaged meat products. When baking, lactic acid provides better texture and volume to the dough. In addition, lactic acid helps emulsify dressings and sauces and preserves the bright colors of fruit and vegetables. …

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