Food Security

Mycorena's mycelium meat

© Mycorena
Protein

The Role of Science-Driven Alt Protein Startups in Addressing Global Food Security

A recent review article published in Nature Communications explored an ecosystem of alternative protein startups and their science-powered innovations, exploring the potential market penetration of products and their impact on addressing the food security challenge — doubling protein demand by 2050 without relying on animal agriculture. Elena Lurie-Luke and her team at the Department of Biosciences at Durham University, UK, utilized science-driven startups as a data source to assess progress in alternative proteins, emphasizing their agility and innovative capabilities. Translating innovation to the market The researchers categorized the startup ecosystem based on their product development approach to create alternatives to meat and fish proteins into three groups: Replace, Modify, and Make. The study used already-developed products as examples to analyze the potential of products to …

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Switch Foods Abu Dhabi

© Switch Foods
Studies & Numbers

Report Highlights Role of Alternative Proteins in Enhancing Food Security in the UAE

The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) has released a report outlining how alternative proteins could enhance food security in the UAE. Estimates cited in the report suggest that 374 million tonnes of meat will be needed to meet global demand by 2030, as incomes rise and the population continues to grow. The authors discuss the role of three categories — plant-based meat, precision fermentation-derived products, and cultivated meat — in addressing this demand. Plant-based meat According to the report, the market share of the plant-based meat sector has significantly increased and is expected to exhibit a compound annual growth rate of 20.6% globally by 2030. Some predictions estimate that the plant-based meat market in the MENA region will reach around $380 million in the next few …

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Newform Foods partners with the Plenty Foundation

© Newform Foods
Cultivated Meat

Newform Foods Launches the Plenty Foundation to Fight Food Insecurity With Cultivated Protein

South Africa’s Newform Foods (previously Mzansi Meat) has launched the Plenty Foundation, a nonprofit aiming to address food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa through biotechnology. While plant-based proteins will be an important part of this strategy, the Foundation will also work with Newform Foods to enhance the taste and nutrition of plant-based foods with cultivated proteins. As part of its overall strategy to reduce undernourishment rates, the Plenty Foundation will combine philanthropy, commercial R&D, and market partnerships. Currently, the organization is pursuing its first funding round, while also aiming to form partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders. “The Plenty Foundation is more than just another not-for-profit; it’s a movement aimed at revolutionizing how we think about food and nutrition in Africa,” said founder Arturo …

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adm workers in a farm field during the day

© ADM
Science

Study: Plant-Based Diets Could Improve European Food Security in Wake of Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A study published in the journal Nature Food has analysed the potential impact of the largely plant-based planetary health diet on European food security. There are increasing concerns about food resilience in Europe and worldwide, following supply chain issues caused by extreme weather, COVID-19, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This has led to a significant spike in the price of food and fertilisers. The study argues that this problem is exacerbated by the consumption of animal products in Europe, which is significantly higher than is recommended for environmental and health reasons. Large quantities of imported grain are used to feed farmed animals rather than humans, which is said to be an inefficient use of resources. Far-reaching impact According to the researchers, a large proportion of crops …

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change foods sneak peak

© Change Foods
Manufacturing & Technology

Change Foods Reveals Plans For Animal-Free Casein Facility in Abu Dhabi

US-Australian alt dairy company Change Foods has announced plans to open a manufacturing facility for the production of animal-free casein in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The company reveals it has signed an agreement with Kezad Group to design the commercial plant with government support under the NextGen FDI initiative. David Bucca, Change Foods’ founder and CEO, commented: “We are honoured to be a part of the UAE’s NextGen FDI initiative and grateful for the strategic partnership with Kezad Group.”  “NextGen FDI is prioritizing the successful scaling of new sustainable food technologies like ours that offer significant environmental and economic development benefits. The strategic alignment behind our company’s vision to help transition the world to more sustainable food systems by scaling new food production …

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national food security fungi-based solution

© NTU Singapore
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Singapore’s NTU Develops Highly Nutritious Fungi-Based Solution to National Food Insecurity

Researchers at NTU Singapore’s Food Science and Technology (FST) program have developed a new method for growing nutritious fungi-based solutions to address Singapore’s national food security issues. With more than 90% of its food currently being imported, Singapore is highly dependent on international food imports and highly affected by food security issues. In light of the complexity around Singapore’s food security, NTU FST was established as a cross-disciplinary effort to develop solutions for the issues arising in the city-state. Together with the prestigious Wageningen University and Research (WUR) from the Netherlands, Nanyang Technological University and NTU FST created the Food Science and Technology Program in 2014. Highly nutritious cultivated products According to the research program, the fungi that are utilized to produce the product are …

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Eat Just chicken sandwich closeup

©Eat Just

Society

“How Are we Going to Survive?” – SMU President Calls For Cultivated Meat as Singapore’s Supply Chain Disruptions Continue

In light of Singapore’s ongoing supply chain disruptions, Prof. Lily Kong, president of the Singapore Management University (SMU), highlights the necessity of cell-cultured meat and milk products in order to achieve the country’s “30 by 30” goal. In a recent discussion that was part of the biennial World Cities Summit (WCS) and reported by Today Online, Prof. Lily Kong, who specializes in social-cultural and urban geography, spoke about Singapore’s path to food security and how to break the psychological barrier regarding cell-cultured meat and dairy products. Supply chain disruptions in Singapore With more than 90% of its food currently being imported, Singapore is highly dependent on international food imports. While Singapore tops the Economist Intelligence Unit’s food security index, it only reaches 12th place when …

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team DYNAMEAT

© DYNAMEAT
Products & Launches

Plant-Based to the Rescue: Dynameat & ANEW to Tackle Singapore’s Food Security Issue

With the Singapore government investing in alt protein to secure the state’s food security issues, two new plant-based brands are launching products tailored for the Asian market. Dynameat plant-based chicken will hit shelves by the end of 2022, while ANEW is debuting a vegan luncheon meat as the first of its ready-to-eat products.  As unprecedented disruption rocks the conventional chicken supply chain across Asia, Dynamic Foodco is bringing Dynameat plant-based chicken to the market. Developed by former Quorn R&D Head in Asia, Dr. Andy Kusumo, the Singapore-based food tech will be using the seed funding raised for its commercialization and scale-up.  “With Dynameat, we want to offer a plant-based meat alternative that is delicious, affordable, scalable and less susceptible to supply chain shocks like the …

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Steve Howard of Singaporean state investor Temasek

Steve Howard. © Temasek
Sustainability / Environment

Singaporean State Investor Temasek Says Alt-Proteins Are Vital For Food Security

Steve Howard, Chief Sustainability Officer at Singapore’s state investor Temasek, has said that plant-based proteins are an important way of improving food security. Speaking to CNBC, Howard explained that about 80% of farmland is used for animal agriculture, with a huge proportion of crops grown being fed to farmed animals. In contrast, only 18% of calories come from animal foods. With climate change already negatively impacting crop production, current grain stores may not be enough to sustain the world’s population. Diversification, especially a switch to alt-proteins, could significantly reduce this inefficiency. Along with preventing food shortages, it could protect those on low incomes from rising food prices. “More plant-based protein, more alternative proteins — that can really build in food security,” Howard told CNBC. “We …

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PureField Ingredients wheat blue

©PureField Ingredients

Politics & Law

Conflict in Ukraine to Cause Spike in Food Prices Worldwide

The G20’s Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) has warned that the current conflict in Ukraine will bring a spike in food prices that will threaten food security globally. Russia and Ukraine together produce 29% of the world’s wheat, along with 19% of corn and a huge 80% of sunflower oil. The countries are also key producers of fertilisers and fuel, both important for agriculture. AMIS has urged G20 countries to avoid imposing sanctions on Russia that could disrupt food trade flows, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that those in low-income countries have adequate supplies of affordable food. However, food security is still likely to be affected by the conflict, as there may be disruption to crop production. The news comes at a difficult time …

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NASA

©NASA
Food & Beverage

NASA Offers $1M Prize For Food Tech Innovators of the Future 

NASA is calling on the food tech world to help send astronauts further into the cosmos than ever before. With a prize purse of up to $1 million, NASA is launching the Deep Space Food Challenge to find the most innovative food tech solutions on the planet. “Pushing the boundaries of food technology will keep future explorers healthy and could even help feed people here at home.” NASA, in coordination with the Canadian Space Agency, has launched The Deep Space Food Challenge to ask competitors to create a food tech system that could sustain a crew of four on a three-year deep space mission. Ready-to-eat foods, dehydrated powders, cultivated plants and fungi, as well as cellular agriculture meat have all been explored in Phase One …

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Italy proposes a ban on cultivated meat

© Mosa Meat
Politics & Law

Former Defense Secretary Says Alternative Proteins Critical to National Security

The production of plant-based and cultivated meat should be regarded as a national security issue, according to Matt Spence, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense. In a recent op-ed titled “The National Security Case for Lab-Grown and Plant-Based Meat”, Spence outlined several reasons why the US government should invest in animal-free protein to enhance food security.  The article highlights Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who became the first world President to taste cultivated chicken at the COP26 Climate Summit in October. Herzog commented the chicken was “amazingly delicious” and suggested cultivated meat technology, which uses fewer resources and leaves a smaller carbon footprint, was critical to both Israel’s and the world’s security. Spence says other heads of state have privately expressed greater fear over climate-driven …

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Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud(1)

HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud © KBW Ventures
Fairs & Events

Vegan Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed to Join Panel on Promoting Food Security Through Agri-Food Innovation

KBW Ventures founder and CEO, Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed, will join industry experts next month for the 2021 World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit on a panel discussion under the banner of Accessing New Market Opportunities. The vegan Prince and his VC firm have funded the future of plant-based business on a global level through investments such as Rebellyous Foods; the Furahaa Group, which aims to be the first plant-based fast food chain in France; plant-based jerky producer Moku Foods; and Singapore’s Turtle Tree Labs, amongst many others. Speaking in interview with vegconomist last year, Prince Khaled enthused: “I advocate for realistic progress; not crazy ideas that will never happen. I believe that having this discussion rationally and presenting people with options that taste great – not …

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Society

Elysabeth Alfano: Is VegTech an Issue of National Security?

According to the United Nations, the world population is going from 7.6 billion people on the planet to roughly 9.8 billion people by 2050.  However, with the almost 30% increase in people, we’re not getting more land and we’re not getting more water.  In fact, with climate change, we are expected to have less habitable and arable land and conditions than currently available. Meat and dairy are known to be land and water-intensive, inefficient business models that require the most precious of resources: land, trees (trees which take carbon from the air are cut to grow grain to mostly feed the 77 billion land animals before slaughter), water and time, all the while putting forth disease in the form of pandemics, heart disease, cancer, and …

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Space BioFarms - Aleph Farms space program Aleph Zero 2

Space BioFarms - Aleph Farms space program ©Aleph Farms
Society

Aleph Farms to Grow Steak in Space to Allow Humans to “Become Multiplanetary” and Build Food Security on Earth

Aleph Farms, the Israel-based leader in growing steak directly from non-GMO animal cells, launches its ‘Aleph Zero’ program focused on cultivating meat for space exploration, enabling “human life to become multiplanetary and unconditional nutrition to be available to all” and building resilience for food security on Earth and beyond.

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A range of different legumes

© Equinom
Agriculture / Agribusiness

Equinom Takes Lessons From Great Irish Famine of 1845, Asserts That Biodiversity is Key to Food Security

Seed breeding specialist Equinom Ltd. is leveraging advanced breeding techniques to promote agricultural biodiversity. The company is inducing better crop resilience and increased yield and asserts that stimulating natural genetic seed variability must be recognized as vital to ensuring a continuous supply of food for the planet.

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