The topic of alternative proteins has been gaining momentum in industry and the media, but it is still an incipient field in academia. There are many technical bottlenecks related to new inputs, technologies and process scaling to obtain products based on alternative proteins. Therefore, this field would greatly benefit from more focus on academic research and training of professionals to work in the area.
Strengthening alternative protein technology is a multidisciplinary plan. As such, we increasingly need the talent of qualified professionals from different areas to overcome such technical challenges, as we seek to explore the enormous potential of this field to transform the traditional food production system into a more sustainable and efficient model. Therefore, the Good Food Institute Brazil – GFI has developed the Teaching Plan for Disciplines in Alternative Proteins – Conceptual Model, aimed at undergraduate and graduate programs in areas related to food production.
The objective of the Conceptual Model is to guide interested teachers regarding the minimum content necessary to train professionals with an understanding and critical sense of the scientific, sociopolitical and environmental challenges of this new food production chain. In addition, this teaching plan aims to guide the learning about alternative proteins taught by faculty at Universities and Educational Institutions throughout Brazil and contribute to the training of professionals qualified to work in the area. The modules and topics covered can be implemented in short or long-term courses, fully or partially, depending on the undergraduate or graduate course and the objectives of the course.
