InovAmazônia: When supporting Brazilian science generates real impact.
After three years of a very meaningful partnership, GFI Brazil and the JBS Fund for the Amazon have concluded the activities of the InovAmazônia project: Ingredients for the Plant-Based Food Market. During this period, seven researchers successfully developed solutions and ingredients for the alternative protein industry, using species native to the richest biome on the planet. The ceremony went far beyond the presentation of study results. This was the materialization of the thinking that guides the work of GFI Brazil: the climate, technological, and productive solutions capable of boosting the alternative protein sector in Brazil and the Global South will emerge from our own territories, from our vocations, and from the challenges we know firsthand. "InovAmazônia was the largest project supported by the fund in the Research and Development area since its creation in 2020." "If it weren't for the GFI, it wouldn't have been possible to identify the best partners, the research that needed to be developed, and orchestrate this entire project, bringing very relevant results.” Lucas de Oliveira Scarascia, JBS Fund for the Amazon. At a guided lunch at the Banana Verde restaurant, guests from different sectors, including researchers, investors, companies, and actors in the innovation ecosystem, were able to experience, in every sense, what it means to invest in science done in Brazil, based on our biodiversity. That was the spirit of the event: to show that there is no transition without the local capacity to produce knowledge, develop technology, and create responses appropriate to our context. And few agendas translate this as well as the investigation of native Amazonian species with the potential to expand and improve the supply of new ingredients for the alternative protein industry. We invite you, then, to learn about the research and, in some way, experience the flavors and aromas of InovAmazônia https://youtu.be/j4A0bUWq1lA?si=fZum0iAK_jMBSCcQ Each dish served as a starting point for one of the investigations presented, bringing scientific results closer to concrete applications in food, with comments from chef Priscila Herrera, responsible for creating the menu. Sertão-style dumpling, made with cassava dough and Brazil nut protein, filled with vegetable protein and Brazil nut cheese, served with mango chutney. The first entry was associated with Dr. [Name]'s research. Ana Vânia Carvalho, from Embrapa Amazônia Oriental. The highlight was the use of Brazil nuts as an alternative protein source for the plant-based market, with the development of partially defatted flour, protein concentrate, and textured protein. The project also demonstrated applications in meat analogues, such as vegetable kibbeh, hamburgers, and textured mixed soy products. While these advancements were being presented, the guests sampled a traditional Brazilian dish from the Sertão region, made with cassava, Brazil nut protein, a vegetable filling, and cashew cheese, accompanied by mango chutney. In the second course, mini-hamburgers made with babassu, accompanied by lettuce and tzatziki sauce, Roseli Ferrari, from ITAL, presented the conversion of babassu by-products into a protein ingredient through hydrolysis and fermentation. The key result was a burger with 14g of protein and 9,2g of fiber per 100g of product, in addition to a cleaner formulation and an 88% acceptance rate compared to the benchmark commercial product. The conversation also touched upon the dimensions of local processing, scaling up production, and the possibility of mini-plants and production structures close to the communities that carry out babassu extraction through the coconut breakers. Mini burger made with babassu protein, lettuce, and tzatziki sauce. Nelinha do Babaçu's participation added an even more powerful dimension to the moment: that innovation is also built with a face, territory, collective work, and concrete social impact. "Being at this event is an opportunity to speak on behalf of 350 women." "Humanity is the real winner here today," said Nelinha do Babaçu, entrepreneur of the Reflyta project. Following this, Priscilla Efraim, from Unicamp, presented the advancements in the full utilization of guarana. The research developed protein ingredients from different fractions of the fruit, including aqueous and hydroalcoholic extractions, as well as from the use of the fruit peel. In extruded formulations, blends with guarana showed gains in expansion, water absorption, and caffeine content, in addition to positive sensory attributes such as brown color, smoky aroma, and notes associated with meat and grilling. While listening to the results, the guests enjoyed penne with guarana meatballs. Penne sautéed with broccoli, leeks, mushrooms, and confit cherry tomatoes with guarana meatballs. The same occurred in the presentation by Juliano Bicas, also from Unicamp, who presented advances in solid-state fermentation applied to meat analogs derived from Amazonian basidiomycetes and agro-industrial byproducts. The proposal, with the potential to generate biomass with a promising texture and aromas associated with meat broth or yeast extract, stood out for reducing processing steps and pointing the way to multifunctional and scalable ingredients. The dish that accompanied this conversation, Brazil nut gnocchi in a creamy tucupi sauce with butter beans, offered a sensitive interpretation of what the research indicated: technical sophistication and regional identity can go hand in hand. Potato gnocchi with Brazil nut protein, tossed in creamy tucupi sauce and butter beans. And for dessert, the meeting featured three research areas, accompanied by two high-quality desserts: classic mini lemon tart and mini gianduia tart. Acácio Zielinski, from UFSC, presented BioAmazon2mEAT, focusing on anisotropic protein structures and the use of Amazonian raw materials to generate fibrous texture, including protein and fat obtained through simultaneous processes that are alternatives to conventional extrusion. Anderson Pereira, from UFAM, demonstrated the protein concentrate from tucumã almonds, with a protein increase from 11% to 53%, and its application in a hamburger prototype. Victor Bertucci Neto, from Embrapa Instrumentation, presented the development of flavorings based on cocoa and cupuaçu via controlled fermentation, including an automated reactor with TRL 5 and obtaining an aroma associated with barbecue by heating husks and almonds. Mini lemon tart: crunchy biscuit base, velvety white chocolate and coconut cream, lemon juice, and coconut meringue. Mini gianduia tart: crunchy hazelnut and cocoa base, velvety chocolate and hazelnut cream. Along
Learn about and invest in projects supported by the Biomas Program
The first edition of the Biomas Program, which financed research aimed at transforming native species from the Amazon and Cerrado into ingredients for the plant-based market, has been completed! The program was coordinated by The Good Food Institute Brazil with financial support from the Climate and Land Use Alliance Foundation (CLUA). As the objective is for research results to be transformed into business opportunities, GFI Brazil held a Pitch Day to present the project results to interested companies and stakeholders. We now make available the videos and portfolios we produced for the projects, as well as their summaries and the full Pitch Day. If you or your institution are interested in any research and would like to support and invest in the continuity of the project, please contact our team by email at ciencia@gfi.org. Full Baru: new ingredients for the plant-based market / Dra. Mariana Egea – IFGoiano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNvc5S-GTbc Full Baru was born from the idea of fully utilizing the by-products of the baru processing chain, with the purpose of increasing the added value of raw materials and bringing non-seasonal possibilities to the fruit's processors. A protein hydrolysate, a modified fibrous ingredient and a microbial red pigment were developed from baru by-products. The technology developed for the production of protein hydrolysate requires low temperature and pH control. The final dry ingredient presented high protein content, high water and oil absorption, in addition to emulsion and foam formation, demonstrating the ability to be applied in meat-based products even at low concentrations. This ingredient can replace pea protein, which is import-dependent, and soy protein, which is an allergenic ingredient. The hydrolyzed fiber was produced from a raw material that was originally going to be discarded. It demonstrated an important dietary fiber profile, ability to form and stabilize emulsion and high thermal stability. Finally, the red microbial pigment we developed could be a breakthrough in the dye industry, since Red 40 can demonstrate toxicity and carmine red has application limitations due to its low thermal stability. We produce a pigment under controlled and adjusted conditions, with a variable color spectrum from yellow to orange (depending on the cultivation conditions) that is stable at pH 4 to 8 and at high temperatures and that has potential as an antioxidant ingredient. https://youtu.be/qw7zAnegXzU MacaúbaINfoods: a solução viável, sustentável e nacional para novos produtos plant-based / Dr. Acácio Antonio Ferreira Zielinsk – Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q3-lYcOyOI The MacaúbaINfoods project evaluated the potential use of cakes (residues from oil extraction) resulting from the processing of macaúba pulp and almonds in the development of plant-based ingredients and products. Macaúba is of industrial interest due to its high oil productivity and its potential use as biodiesel, in addition to pharmaceutical applications. The cultivation of this species has been encouraged mainly in the state of Minas Gerais, where palm trees are planted in systems intercropped with crops, aiming to improve the income of producers and act in carbon sequestration and soil regeneration. With the results, a process was proposed aiming at the total use of macaúba by-products through sequential and integrated extractions using high-pressure fluids, which can be considered sustainable and environmentally friendly due to the shorter process time and solvent consumption. Through this approach, 4 ingredients were obtained from the pulp cake (fatty acids, natural dye with bioactivity, polysaccharides and fibers) and 4 ingredients from the almond cake (fatty acids, natural dye with bioactivity, protein and fibers). These ingredients showed high potential for application in plant-based products, especially in a nugget analogue. The main advantage of the proposed process is in the recovery stage of the protein fraction from the macaúba almond cake, which was carried out at 60 °C using water as a solvent, at a pressure of 10 MPa and in 15 minutes. This process presented a protein recovery efficiency of 19% and a protein concentration close to 90%. The literature reports an efficiency of 12% in a process that results in a protein ingredient from macaúba almonds with 94% protein in a much longer process time (1 hour). Furthermore, the solubility of this protein fraction obtained, above 70%, is superior to the commercial vegetable protein from peas, which has values below 20%, and from soy, between 15 and 60%. This fraction presented a water absorption capacity similar to cereal proteins and a high oil absorption capacity, superior to the capacity of commercial proteins such as soy and pea proteins. These characteristics are interesting for application in products such as hamburgers and nuggets. Regarding nutritional characteristics, the protein from macauba almonds almost completely met the standard of essential amino acids (AA) required per gram of protein, presenting scores below the required only for isoleucine and leucine. Therefore, the obtained protein ingredient can fully supply the sulfur-containing AAs (Met + Cys) and aromatic AAs (Phe + Tyr), which are generally limiting amino acids in legumes such as beans, soybeans and peas; in addition, it can supply the requirement standard of lysine (Lys), the limiting amino acid in most cereal proteins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5vIXzUtxME Ingrediente rico em fibras, obtido de amêndoa de babaçu / Nedio Jair Wurlitzer – Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Stfe0unqhU&t=35s O projeto buscou avaliar como utilizar o resíduo de processamento de amêndoa de babaçu para desenvolver um ingrediente rico em fibras para ser usado em produtos plant-based. The processing conditions and also the chemical composition and stability during storage were determined, in addition to the application of the ingredient in plant-based product formulations such as hamburger and mortadella analogues. The ingredient presented 42,7% dietary fiber in its composition and, when applied in product formulations, allows its labeling to indicate “high content” of dietary fiber, considering the requirements of the Nutritional Labeling Legislation. The ingredient also demonstrated high retention capacity.
Check the list of approved candidates for the InovAmazônia project call
The Good Food Institute Brazil is honored to announce the list of successful proposals in the call for proposals for the research incentive project InovAmazônia: Ingredients for the Plant-Based Food Market. With resources and support from the JBS Fund for the Amazon, approximately R$2,7 million will be invested in the seven approved research projects. The selection process took into account the requirements set forth in the call, such as the requirement that proposals be submitted by researchers residing in the Brazilian Amazon or other regions of the country, provided they established partnerships with researchers and universities in the biome targeted by the call. Furthermore, the research also required that the projects involve communities, cooperatives, associations, or agribusinesses located in the Amazon Biome. "By the end of the project, we hope to identify edible fungi for ingredient production, textured proteins for the production of plant-based meats from species such as tucumã, cocoa, and cupuaçu, as well as new sources of protein, fiber, natural pigments, oils and fats, and ingredients that improve the flavor, texture, and aroma of plant-based meats, while maintaining a clean-label appeal increasingly desired by consumers," says Luciana Fontinelle, science and technology specialist and project coordinator. Final approval of the projects depends on the signing of the Partnership Agreement between GFI Brazil and the responsible institutions. Therefore, the list is subject to change. The contracted research is expected to begin between July and August 2023.
InovAmazônia, GFI Brazil's research incentive project, receives proposals until 12/12/22
The Good Food Institute Brazil has just launched its newest project under the Biomes Program, which promotes research, InovAmazônia: Ingredients for the Plant-Based Food Market. With funding from the JBS Fund for the Amazon, the goal is to develop solutions and food ingredients for the plant-based alternative protein industry, using species native to the Amazon biome. A total of approximately R$2,7 million will be invested in the research. Learn more about the call for proposals and submit your research proposal! Exploratory research: identifying potential sources of new ingredients from fungi native to the Amazon biome that have been little investigated in the field of alternative proteins. Applied research: solutions and advances in the production and application of ingredients in plant-based meat products. The aim is to optimize sustainable methods for obtaining ingredients, develop prototypes based on the application of these ingredients, and generate technologies with potential for industrial application. The native species eligible for the applied research modality are: Açaí, Babassu, Cocoa, Brazil Nut, Cupuaçu, Guarana, and Tucumã. Proposals will be evaluated based on criteria such as scientific alignment, expected project impact, contribution to the scientific community, contribution to local producing communities, project planning, and commercial relevance. The following are also mandatory: Call launch – November 03, 11; Research proposal submission deadline – November 2022, 03; Call presentation workshop – November 11, 2022; Research proposal submission deadline – December 16, 11; Results of selected proposals – January 2022, 12; Publication of final results of proposals with signed contracts – August 12, 2022; Project start date – July/August 23. Proposals must be submitted through the GFI Good Grants application platform. Questions can be sent to ciencia@gfi.org Access the Call for Proposals Watch the InovAmazônia Presentation Workshop Clarify your doubts in the Questions and Answers document Submit your research proposal Your project can contribute to a safer, fairer, and more sustainable food system today and in the future.
On this International Women's Day, GFI Brazil highlights the female leadership in initiatives that should accelerate innovations in the alternative proteins sector
by Vinícius Gallon In an emerging field like alternative proteins, research funding plays a crucial role. Studies on cultivated meat, foods made from plants and obtained through fermentation generate advances in the supply of tasty, accessible and safe products, in addition to positively impacting the climate, global health, the supply of food for the entire population and respect for animals. Identifying knowledge gaps and articulating technological solutions requires a deep understanding of the science in alternative proteins and related fields. And in Brazil, those who have taken on this challenge, in large numbers, are women. As a non-profit organization, GFI is dedicated to advancing open access research in alternative proteins and creating an ecosystem for research and education. The Research Incentive Program distributes resources to support scientists in order to ensure the commercial viability of their work. In the 2021 call, the goal was to produce knowledge and technology to replicate whole cuts of meat, such as steak, chicken breast, pork chop, salmon fillet and seafood. 22 projects were selected, 5 of which are Brazilian and, of these, 3 are led by women. Meet the Brazilian researchers who were awarded the Research Incentive Program In the field of hybrid foods, Dr. Aline Bruna da Silva, professor in the materials engineering department at CEFET-MG, leads research to produce whole cuts of chicken meat through the combination of cell culture and plant-based technologies. The final product should have the texture and flavor of conventional chicken, but with healthier fat than that of animal origin. Dr.'s research... Olga Lúcia Mondragón-Bernal, a researcher at the Federal University of Lavras, will develop prototypes of fish analogues (similar to salmon, trout and tilapia) using textured oyster mushroom protein. The scientist's team will use organically grown, family-farmed mushrooms from the Lavras region (MG) as raw material and intends to establish partnerships to transfer part of the technology to these small producers. Dr. Vivian Feddern, a researcher at Embrapa Swine and Poultry, is leading a study to produce whole pieces of cultured chicken meat (similar to boneless breast fillet) from chicken muscle cells grown on scaffolds, in addition to establishing a line of chicken stem cells that can be expanded, seeded and differentiated into new types of scaffolds for the production of whole cuts of meat. In this same Program, but in the 2019 edition, Brazil was awarded three funding grants, all for female researchers: Dr. Ana Carla Sato, from Unicamp (cassava leaf), Dr. Ana Paula Dionísio, from Embrapa (cashew fiber), and Dr. Caroline Mellinger, from Embrapa (carioca beans). All three research projects are progressing to the final phase and are already yielding excellent results. In another initiative, this time from GFI Brazil, the funding aims to finance studies on the use of native species that can serve as a basis for plant-based analogues of animal products. The expectation is that species from the Amazon and Cerrado – babassu, baru, Brazil nut, cupuassu, guaraná, macauba and pequi – will be a source of proteins, pigments and fibers that integrate other matrices already used in the industry. Of the 14 research projects included in the Biomes Program, 7 are led by women. Meet the researchers featured in the Biomes Program. Focusing their research on the baru nut, both Dr. Ana Paula Rebellato, from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), and Dr. Mariana Egea, from the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano (IFGoiano), aims to obtain ingredients for the production of plant-based foods. While the first aims to obtain an extruded ingredient with a high protein content and rich in fiber from the by-product of the extraction of baru almond oil, the second wants to obtain ingredients from residues of the native product. Dr. Luiza Helena Meller da Silva, from the Federal University of Pará, will develop ingredients from residues from the processing of cupuaçu and guaraná for use in plant-based products. Dr. Fabiana Queiroz, from the Federal University of Lavras – MG, intends to obtain ingredients from the complete extraction of the pulp, almond and peel of the pequi for use in similar plant products. To learn about the other three researchers and their research topics, visit the website. Alternative Proteins: a field with female leadership In addition to the GFI incentive programs, which fund research into cultivated meat led by women, there is also female leadership in other initiatives. Starting with our own science and technology team, made up of 100% women. Led by Dr. Katherine de Matos, the team also includes Ma. Cristiana Ambiel, Dr. Amanda Leitolis, Dr. Luciana Fontinelle, Dr. Lorena Silva Pinho, and doctoral candidate Mariana Demarco. Also contributing to knowledge production and training, the Federal University of Paraná launched, in 2020, the first Brazilian course on cultivated meat offered in a postgraduate program. Coordinated by Professor Dr. Carla Molento, the Introduction to Cellular Animal Science discipline was created with the aim of collaborating in the training of new professionals to work in the cultivated meat market. Graduated in veterinary medicine from UFPR, Dr. Carla has dedicated herself especially to initiatives that promote animal welfare, also coordinating LABEA – Animal Welfare Laboratory at the same university. Another name that has been emerging in the sector is that of researcher Dr. Bibiana Matte, scientific director of Núcleo Vitro, which is developing the first Brazilian cultivated meat, with an investment of R$5 million made available by the Fapergs (Rio Grande do Sul State Research Support Foundation) notice. Dr. Bibiana is also the founder of the country's first cultivated meat startup, Ambi Real Food. In late 2021, JBS announced a record $100 million investment in the cultivated meat market. With the funds, the company signed an agreement to acquire control of the Spanish company BioTech Foods, invest in the construction of a new manufacturing plant in Spain, and establish its first Research & Development Center.
Scientists study the application of native species from the Cerrado and the Amazon in the alternative protein market. Learn about the projects
Promoted by The Good Food Institute Brazil, the Biomes Program begins with studies of seven native species that can replace products of animal origin. The diversity of Brazilian biomes can place the country at the center of sustainable production of raw materials in the alternative protein sector. With the growth of the domestic market for plant-based products, 14 researchers are beginning studies this year on the use of native species that could be the basis for analogues of animal-based products. The expectation is that species from the Amazon and Cerrado biomes – such as babassu, Brazil nut, cupuaçu, guarana, baru, macaúba, and pequi – will be a source of proteins, pigments, and fibers that can be integrated into other matrices already used in the industry. The research is conducted within the scope of the Biomes Program, created by The Good Food Institute Brazil (GFI Brazil). The species were selected based on their economic and technical potential. More than just finding alternatives to protein sources, the program selected investigations that consider the entire economic cycle of the ingredient's production, including the use of normally discarded waste, the application of clean technologies, and the promotion of local communities. In this edition of the program, more than 80 research proposals were received from approximately 34 institutions in 14 Brazilian states. The number shows the progress of Brazilian research in the area. Of these, GFI Brazil selected 14 surveys. The results of the year-long investigations will be made publicly available in order to enable the application and scaling of the developed technologies. Research contributes to consolidating the trend of consuming alternative proteins to meat, fish and seafood, milk and dairy products, and eggs in Brazil, where demand grows every year. The goal is to discover the real potential application of these ingredients in industry, developing the national market, adding value to native species, and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources – a path that leads to forest conservation. Furthermore, the researchers will seek to identify the characteristics of flavor, texture, consumption experience, cost, and nutrition of their products, focusing on creating real possibilities for use and consumption. “There’s nothing better for increasing the value of a product than putting it on our plates and transforming it into everyday products. "May Brazilians be able to take ownership of the wealth we have, which few have access to," argues Cristiana Ambiel, Science and Technology Manager at GFI Brazil. According to a study by GFI Brazil, 84% of companies want more domestic ingredients. In practice, the results may offer alternatives to imported matrices for plant-based products, such as peas, which, like soybeans, dominate plant-based production in Brazil. In the cerrado, for example, the possibility of producing a burger made entirely from Baru is being studied. In the Amazon, Brazil nuts can be a source of protein with a greater diversity of amino acids than foreign competitors. “We see how Brazil can be a reference in alternative proteins for the world. Launching protein trends. We can develop national alternatives that are more competitive, take this abroad and serve as a model and reference in the market,” adds Luciana Fontinelle, science and technology specialist at GFI Brazil. Cristiana Ambiel also highlights that a greater diversity of ingredients can balance the sustainability of plant-based products. “The GFI already has this sustainability purpose, so much so that it promotes plant-based products because they are more sustainable than animal production. But we achieve even greater sustainability when we look at obtaining ingredients from our biodiversity, especially when we aim to fully utilize native species, adding value to parts that are underutilized, such as peels, seeds, and processing waste.” In the Brazilian context, developing the alternative protein sector means generating more jobs by diversifying the economic matrix. It is also a step towards economically viable processes for innovative alternative protein products, which can be shared with current animal protein production processes to overcome the challenge of sustainably feeding 10 billion people by 2050. Fabiana Queiroz, a researcher at the Federal University of Lavras, one of the recipients of the call, emphasizes that the Program is essential for the country and also leads to the preservation of biomes. “The preservation of these fruits depends on us having the processing technology to ensure continued production and prevent deforestation,” he recalls. In any scenario, there is a consensus among researchers that research must leave a legacy of environmental, technical, economic and social viability for each ingredient, product and process developed. Learn about some of the approved research: PEQUI Fabiana Queiroz, Federal University of Lavras – MG Research topic: Obtaining ingredients from the complete extraction of the pulp, almond and peel of the Pequi for use in plant-based products. Despite being present in many states of Brazil, the pequi, a fruit known as the “gold of the cerrado”, may go unnoticed and its potential may not be fully exploited if it is not recovered in research. This is what researcher Fabiana Queiroz, a professor in the food science department at the Federal University of Lavras, points out, proposing to extract different compounds from the pequi fruit and use them in the production of a plant-based burger. Considered the flagship of the biome, the pequi fruit is nutritionally rich: the peel is a source of fiber and the pulp is rich in carotenoids, with a high percentage of carbohydrates. In almonds, the abundance of oil is accompanied by a protein complex, the defatted flour of which can be used in the production of vegetable products. These technological properties will be studied by the researcher and evaluated for the manufacture of food products. “Pequi is already used by cooperatives for preserves and flours. We are moving more towards the possibility of large-scale processing,” explains Fabiana. One of the team's focuses is also to contribute to clean production, making full use of the fruit and capable of reaching scale without affecting the environment. "This exploration of the fruit's full potential in an environmentally sound manner is what sets it apart," says Fabiana. "It is not