Are you interested in developing studies on fermentation? GFI Brazil has an opportunity for you!

The Good Food Institute Brazil invites researchers and professionals interested in developing the " Mapping of the Development Stage of Fermentation Technology Applied to Alternative Proteins in Brazil " to submit their proposals by August 14th.

In addition to mapping, the study must include the potential and challenges of the technology, bottlenecks and opportunities for large-scale production, and the preparation of a strategic plan for its development in the country, essential technical and scientific subsidies to guide the future actions of legislators, regulators, companies, professors and researchers in the area.

Find out the details of the notice:

The study should focus on the new role of fermentation technology (whether traditional, biomass or precision) in innovation in the alternative protein sector, in order to meet the demands of the production of meat, dairy, seafood and egg analogues; production of inputs for products made from plants and Cultivated meat; or in the direct production of products by fermentation, such as analogues made from mycelial biomass, for example. Therefore, the conventional use of fermentation in food production is not within the scope of this study.

It will be divided into three stages that will contribute to the development of fermentation applied to alternative proteins in Brazil:

• Develop technical material on fermentation technology applied to alternative proteins;
• Identify the organization of the scientific community and the infrastructure necessary for scientific research in the area of ​​fermentation; OR Map the research structures already existing in the area of ​​fermentation in the country and develop a conceptual project for a reference center containing the infrastructure necessary to develop research in the area;
• Develop a Strategic Plan for the development of fermentation technology applied to alternative proteins in Brazil. 

The project is scheduled to begin in November 2023 and will have a six-month execution period. Proposals may be submitted until August 14th , in PDF format, to the email address ciencia@gfi.org . The document must include a schedule, the estimated costs for each stage, the total investment, the methodology to be used, and the professional resumes of the team that will develop the work. The results will be announced on August 22nd. The complete call for proposals, with all guidelines for submission, as well as all other information about the study, can be accessed at this link.

Contextualization

The term fermentation as applied to the alternative protein industry refers to the cultivation of microorganisms for the purpose of processing a food or ingredient; obtaining more of the microorganism itself as a primary source of protein (biomass), or specific ingredients, such as flavorings, enzymes, proteins and fats, for incorporation into products made from plants or Cultivated meat.

The alternative protein industry uses fermentation in three main ways, namely:

• Traditional fermentation uses microorganisms to modulate and process plant-derived ingredients, resulting in products with unique flavors, nutritional profiles, and modified textures. Example: fermentation of soybeans to produce tempeh (or tempeh), a protein-rich food with unique functional, nutritional, and sensory properties.

• Biomass fermentation takes advantage of the rapid growth and high protein content of many microorganisms to efficiently produce large quantities of proteins. This biomass serves as the predominant ingredient of a product or as one of several primary ingredients in a mixture. Example: production of biomass from filamentous fungi that mimics the texture of meat.

• Precision fermentation uses microbial hosts to produce specific functional ingredients. These ingredients enhance the sensory characteristics and functional attributes of products made from plants or Cultivated meat. Examples include proteins, vitamins, fat, pigments, flavors, cell culture media components, and others.

Fermentation technology has proven to be a great ally in improving plant-based products, enabling the enhancement of desired characteristics and resulting in plant-based products that are tastier, more nutritious and similar to animal-based products. The challenges of making plant-based products with characteristics similar to conventional products are many. The search is for technologies and ingredients that contribute to improving the functional, nutritional and sensory characteristics of plant-based products and that provide a consumer experience that is equal to or better than those of animal origin. 

Fermentation has also contributed to the development of Cultivated meat technology by producing important process-specific molecules, such as animal-free growth factors. In addition, proteins such as collagen and fibronectin, produced through fermentation, can serve as supporting components in place of their animal-based counterparts for use in Cultivated meat products of various types.