Givaudan and Berkeley publish new research providing view of future technologies for alternative proteins

Givaudan has launched its latest white paper entitled The Protein Horizon: the landscape of alternative protein technologies enabling future food experiences, its fourth collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley. This paper provides cutting-edge information on current, emerging and future technologies for manufacturers producing meat and fish alternatives.

No longer considered niche, the growth of plant-based alternatives has been fuelled by rising consumer desire for food products that are healthier and have less impact on the planet. To meet the demand both in volume and in desired product characteristics, constant innovation and new technologies are necessary.

The research takes a future perspective, highlighting the benefits of emerging 3D printing technology, the ‘near future’ techniques of cultured meat, and Mycelium biomass fermentation producing fungi-derived protein. It also looks further over the horizon to lab scale technologies such as shear cell, which is set to attract significant investment. Given no single technology is the ‘silver bullet’, collaboration across companies and organisations is essential for creating delicious and nutritious meat alternatives. “The rise of meat alternatives is significant," said Sudhir Joshi, Product Development Program Coach at the University of California, Berkeley. "The market is poised for rapid growth. While the existing technologies offer a major opportunity for innovation, the main challenges in this sector remain cost and scale.

“This new white paper provides a comprehensive review of current and upcoming technologies. It also offers insights into adoption, market potential, challenges and the opportunities for future development.”

Givaudan is at the forefront of the meat-alternative movement, but recognizes that to create delicious new products, companies need to be agile, efficient, and innovative. “Only by working together can we build the eco-systems necessary to develop the meat and fish alternative proteins of tomorrow," Flavio continued. "Our ongoing research with Berkeley is a great example of the kind of collaboration that will allow us to imagine the future of alternative proteins.”

In addition to its partnership with the Berkeley, Givaudan is also actively working with some of the latest technologies in collaboration with Bühler and Migros, with whom it has formed the Cultured Hub, in Kemptthal, Switzerland, working on cultured meat, cultured fish and seafood, and precision fermentation.

The Hub is part of Givaudan’s extensive network of alternative protein innovation centres across four continents that includes MISTA in California, the Protein Innovation Centre in Singapore, the Protein Hub in Zurich, and soon, the Tropical Food Innovation Lab in Brazil. By fostering collaboration with customers and other companies, from start-ups to leaders in the field, and building our innovation pipeline and proprietary technologies, Givaudan has become the partner of choice for co-creating new meat alternative products.