Learn more about the science that makes plant proteins possible. Discover resources and research projects on the latest technology developments and scientific issues.
Science and Technology
Cultivated meat, products made from plants, and obtained by fermentation offer excellent research opportunities with numerous positive impacts on the climate and global health. GFI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing open-access research in alternative proteins and creating a research and education ecosystem around these revolutionary fields.
Why do we invest in Science and Technology?
Identifying fundamental knowledge gaps and articulating technological solutions require a deep understanding of the science in alternative proteins and related fields. Rigorous industry analyses, such as life cycle assessments and technical and economic analyses, also provide critical insights to identify the most important levers for improving alternative protein product taste, texture, price, and sustainability.
Our work provides a rigorous foundation of scientific discoveries fundamental to advancing alternative proteins. We analyze the industry to identify priority knowledge gaps and direct funding to the most impactful research projects. We also cultivate an engaged community of scientists to create collaborations and increase the flow of new talent. We want to overcome technical challenges through open-access research and accelerate progress across the alternative protein industry.
Identifying fundamental knowledge gaps and articulating technological solutions require a deep understanding of the science in alternative proteins and related fields. Rigorous industry analyses, such as life cycle assessments and technical and economic analyses, also provide critical insights to identify the most important levers for improving alternative protein product taste, texture, price, and sustainability.
Research funding is crucial in an emerging field like alternative proteins. Our Research Incentive Program allocates resources to relevant projects, supporting our researchers to ensure the commercial viability of their work.
GFI created the Collaborative Research Directory to connect researchers in alternative proteins worldwide. The platform allows scientists to share information about their research areas and publish collaboration opportunities for other scientists, laboratories, and companies in their projects. Likewise, they can be found by other researchers or companies interested in research projects. This creates a global network of scientific networking focused on technologies for developing and improving the production of alternative proteins. The initiative has both researchers already active in the sector of alternative proteins and those interested in working in this area.
Technical Insights
Biomes 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 Brasil 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 Brasil held a Pitch Day to present the results of the projects to interested companies and stakeholders. Now, we make available the project summary and the < b>Pitch Day in full for the public who did not participate in the event: if you were interested in any research and want to know how you can interact, license or even become a partner to bring these innovations to the market, we created a form, which will be available until 07/21/23 to be filled out. We will contact you to schedule a meeting!
The Science of Alternative Proteins
GFI’s open-access online course explores the science of alternative proteins. In self-paced classes, you will learn about the biological and chemical processes used to produce plant-based, fermented, and cultivated meat and the environmental and economic factors behind these market sectors.