Dive briefs:
- Precision Fermentation Alliance, New Global Trade and Policy Group formally formed last week.
- Charter members of the group include Change Foods, The Every Co., Helaina, Imaginedairy, Motif FoodWorks, New Culture, Onego Bio, Perfect Day and Remilk. This alliance promotes understanding and global transparency around technology-made food. Educate and engage key stakeholders to establish best practices. We work with governments to develop regulations, expanded market access, and public funding instruments. The chair of the new group is her Nicki Briggs, Perfect Day’s VP of Corporate Communications.
- Precision fermentation is the latest food technology to create an industry group. The plant-based food association Established in 2016The Meat, Poultry and Seafood Innovation Alliance, which represents cultivated meat companies, was launched in 2019. The biomass fermentation company established the Fungal Protein Association last November.
Dive Insight:
As precision-fermented foods reach consumers around the world, it makes sense that the industry’s leading players would form their own groups. After all, for consumers, manufacturers, and policy makers, technology feels new and different, and companies can come together to better understand it.
Precision fermentation of food has been widely used since the 1990s, and here’s how: Most rennets used to make cheese produced for over twenty years — Most consumers don’t know much about technology. Today, precision fermentation is used to make egg and dairy ingredients without the use of animals, creating products such as sweeteners, oils and flavors that are difficult to obtain in nature.
Precision fermentation uses biotechnology to redesign common microorganisms such as yeast, produce the same protein or substance Commonly found in places such as eggs, dairy products, and sweeteners when fermented. I’m explaining.
Products using this technology have been available to consumers for several years, but manufacturing capacity and new launches are increasing. , available in products such as chocolate bars. The company is rapidly expanding into new countries and potentially new capabilities with its recent acquisition of gelatin manufacturer Sterling Biotech Limited. Others are not far behind as they are in talks with food manufacturers about scaling up and adding more ingredients.
Precision fermentation companies say their raw material manufacturing methods can provide consumers with the taste, nutrition and function of animal-based foods that consumers love in a crueler and more sustainable way. However, the fact that the technology is so new can confuse consumers. It started talking as a “symbio dairy” option, an existential threat to small non-GMO dairy farms.
An industry group that brings together several leaders in this space should give them a stronger say in explaining what they do and why it’s an option manufacturers and consumers should consider. It also helps combat misinformation and consumer fears about what sounds overly scientific.
“Leading this new era of food requires clear communication, thoughtful policies, consistent regulation and stakeholder engagement,” said Irina Gerry, chief marketing officer at Change Foods and vice chairman of the new group. Requires the involvement of a person.