The Good Food Institute

Scaling current algal production while looking into new sources will be crucial to meet future alternative protein industry needs. We surveyed companies and researchers working on alternative meat and seafood to learn how they’re sourcing and using omega-3 ingredients and how they expect this to change in the next five years. The results suggest that alternative proteins could represent a lucrative opportunity for algae, precision fermentation, and plant molecular farming companies producing long-chain omega-3s such as EPA and DHA. Explore top takeaways and download the full report here ?? https://bit.ly/4eKDUf1 Shoutout to our senior lead cultivated meat & seafood scientist Claire Bomkamp for leading this important work!

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At GFI, we share knowledge openly so that everyone can benefit. All of our work, from scientific deep dives to webinars to annual industry reports, is freely accessible to all thanks to a community of donors who care about building a sustainable food future. Consider making a gift to power our work in 2025 and beyond. ?? Donate now: https://bit.ly/4fUNA78

?? Just how sustainable is plant-based meat? Join us on Dec 3 to explore the robust insights from our recent life cycle assessment comparing the environmental impact of plant-based and animal-based meat. Save your spot → https://bit.ly/40HxfOx

America has deep roots in agriculture innovation & scientific excellence. In this new piece, GFI CEO Ilya Sheyman calls for a set of bold, smart actions—including investment in alternative proteins—that can carry that legacy forward and build a strong, resilient, and globally competitive U.S. bioeconomy. https://bit.ly/4fCtui8

?? Vow's cultivated quail is now for sale in Hong Kong, making this the third market where cultivated meat is commercially available. More details via The Good Food Institute APAC → https://bit.ly/3Oi29py Vow's first cultivated quail product, Forged Parfait, will be sold at The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental, a high-end izakaya bar in Hong Kong. This dish first appeared in Singapore after receiving regulatory approval there in March 2024. Their second product will soon make its commercial debut in Hong Kong: a foie gras-inspired dish called Forged Gras, which the company says provides “a richly satisfying ‘fatty liver’ experience.” Vow’s initial approval by the Singapore Food Agency was a key part of how the startup managed to enter Hong Kong, according to CEO George Peppou. The company’s Singapore approval “served as an important proof point” in satisfying the Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s standards for commercial sale, he told GFI APAC. As cultivated foods continue to gain attention from policymakers in the APAC region, Vow's entry into Hong Kong demonstrates the high value in mutual recognition of regulatory frameworks across the region. GFI APAC has played a crucial role in providing guidance and helping to harmonize regional regulations in APAC to bring cultivated foods to market. “If past is prologue, once a promising new technology finds a solid foothold in Asia’s largest economy, sweeping changes often follow – slowly at first, and then all at once,” says GFI APAC managing director Mirte Gosker.

?? Europe is becoming a leader in alternative protein research with record investment (€290 million) and scientific research published (472 publications) in 2023. Check it out: https://bit.ly/4ehSY2J ?? Research into plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated meat is growing rapidly in Europe, with more than a quarter of all studies published in 2023 alone alongside record research funding, according to two new reports from The Good Food Institute Europe. ?? On the country level, the U.K., Germany, and the Netherlands led in research output, representing 14%, 13%, and 11% of published research since 2010, respectively. ?? Plant-based protein publications accounted for the majority of research output (63%) since 2010, followed by fermentation-derived protein and ingredients (16%), cultivated meat and seafood (13%), and cross-pillar publications (9%). ????While the funding environment for #alternativeprotein research has trended positively in Europe, more research and funding support is strongly needed to help bring these foods closer to commercialization and parity with conventional meat, notes GFI Europe. Explore the full reports and regional deep dives ?? https://lnkd.in/eJ7U2kGj

?? We're supporting the next wave of alt protein innovators with the help of some of the brightest minds in the industry! Learn more about our program that connects entrepreneurs and mentors from across the alt protein ecosystem: https://bit.ly/3YLjM5W Did you know that our mentorship program as well as all of GFI’s one-of-a-kind reports and resources are always free and available to everyone? Donor support enables us to publish work that drives the entire alternative protein ecosystem forward. If you, like us, believe in the importance of open-access knowledge, please consider joining our community of donors by making a gift today. ?? Donate now: https://bit.ly/4hPYbSz

?? Plantible, a startup producing duckweed protein, has closed a $30 million Series B round to scale up production at their Texas farm and deliver on commercial agreements with several large food companies → https://bit.ly/4hTeuxJ Duckweed, a free-floating aquatic plant that grows without pesticides and doubles in mass every 48 hours, has many advantages. It is considered a complete protein containing all essential amino acids, a protein digestibility (PDCAAS) score of 1.0 (equivalent to animal protein), and a neutral taste profile in finished products. Aquatic crops such as seaweed, microalgae, and duckweed have become an especially hot area for exploration as #alternativeprotein ingredients because they are highly sustainable to produce and rich in protein and nutrients. It's fantastic to see startups receiving this level of funding support to scale their operations to reach mainstream consumers!

?? NEW: Plant-based meat has, on average, 89% less environmental impact than animal-based meat according to the most comprehensive, open-access life-cycle assessment (LCA) to date! Download now: https://bit.ly/3YMWSek Learn more?? Using real-world supply chain data, this ISO-certified study confirms that plant-based meats offer significant environmental benefits over conventional meat, regardless of how it is made. The global food system accounts for more than a third of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, consumes significant land and water resources, and produces harmful air and water pollution. Reducing the environmental impacts of food production, particularly meat production, is critical to support global food security and address climate change, pollution, and resource depletion as the planet nears 10 billion people by 2050. To better understand the potential of plant-based meat to help achieve this goal, our team, led by Nikhita Mansukhani Kogar, Priera Panescu Scott, PhD, and Amanda Bess,?commissioned EarthShift Global to complete a comprehensive, ISO-certified LCA of plant-based meat to compare the environmental impacts of: ???? plant-based meat and animal-based meat production ???? plant-based meats made using different raw materials and production methods. The results solidify what many scientists have long known – the environmental benefits of plant-based meat are undeniable. Check out the report and key takeaways: https://bit.ly/3YMWSek