The next great food revolution is already underway — and Brazil has all the conditions to lead it. We are talking about the advancement of alternative proteins produced by fermentation , an innovative technology that can profoundly transform the way we produce food, making the global food system more sustainable, safe and efficient.
To help chart the paths for this promising future, GFI Brazil has just launched the publication Fermentation in Brazil: opportunities and paths for the development of the alternative proteins sector. The study gathers unprecedented data on the state of the art of fermentation in the country, identifies existing technical and industrial capabilities, and proposes concrete actions to leverage this strategic sector.
A new use for ancient knowledge
Fermentation has been a technology that has been around for thousands of years—bread, wine, tofu, tempeh, and yogurt are all fermented products. But in recent decades, it has been gaining new applications through modern biotechnology. Today, it is possible to use microorganisms as “cellular factories” to produce functional ingredients, proteins with high nutritional value, and even structures with textures and flavors similar to those of animal products.
This is a versatile technology, with applications ranging from the formulation of more attractive plant-based foods to the production of complete proteins and ingredients for Cultivated meat. And best of all: with a lower environmental impact and greater efficiency in the use of natural resources.
This technological process, according to Isabela, can be used to develop alternative proteins through traditional fermentation (which uses bacteria and fungi to transform ingredients into foods such as tofu, tempeh and yogurts), biomass (which uses, for example, filamentous fungi to produce mycoproteins with a texture similar to meat) or precision (which applies genetic engineering to program microorganisms to produce proteins and ingredients identical to those of animal origin), allowing the creation of products and inputs efficiently, due to the rapid growth and high productivity of microorganisms.
What makes Brazil so well positioned to stand out in this industry?
Our country already has a solid foundation to boost this new sector. The experience accumulated in recent decades with the biofuel industry—especially ethanol—and with the production of industrial enzymes is a real competitive advantage. We have the infrastructure in place , a skilled workforce , the capacity to produce inputs , and a robust scientific research network.
The GFI Brazil study identified more than 60 relevant institutions in the fermentation ecosystem in Brazil, including 40 universities, as well as research centers with technical and scientific know-how. It is a portrait of a country that already has the key pieces to activate a new production chain — with the potential to generate value, jobs and innovation.
A strategic sector for the future of Brazil
Investing in the fermentation sector for alternative proteins is investing in technological sovereignty, food security, bioeconomy, and sustainable development. It positions Brazil not only as the world's breadbasket, but as a laboratory for food solutions for the planet.
For Brazil to consolidate itself as a global leader in fermentation for alternative proteins, the study recommends establishing partnerships between universities, startups and companies to share infrastructure and knowledge; public and private investment in CMOs (Contract Manufacturing Organizations); engaging agribusinesses as suppliers of fermentable inputs; promoting research into new microorganisms and biotechnological routes; and strengthening public policies that stimulate innovation and the bioeconomy.
“With appropriate public policies, support for innovation, incentives for the training of talent and coordination between government, academia and the private sector, we can accelerate this development and reap the rewards in the medium term,” argues Isabela.
With this study, we invite companies, researchers, investors and policymakers to build together a future in which food that is good for everyone is also good for the planet.
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18/12/25
