The Good Food Institute

Diversifying our protein supply with plant-based meat can significantly reduce our food system’s environmental impacts. Our new report—presenting the key findings of the most comprehensive, open-access analysis of plant-based meat’s environmental impacts to date—reveals plant-based meat has an 89% lower environmental impact than animal-based meat. Here’s how that breaks down across the impact categories evaluated in this study: ?? 91% lower impacts than beef ?? 88% lower impacts than pork ?? 71% lower impacts than chicken With the global food system accounting for more than a third of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, consuming significant land and water resources, and producing harmful air and water pollution, it is critical that governments around the globe invest in plant-based meat to diversify the protein supply and help meet their climate goals. https://bit.ly/4eLqEpF more & download the report:

New on our blog: get to know some of the scientists we've selected for our 2024 Research Grant Program and catch up with a few of our previous year’s grantees! https://bit.ly/4g03ZHh A strong open-access research environment and talent pipeline are essential to fostering good food innovation. That's why we launched GFI's Research Grant Program in 2019 to help fund the next generation of food innovators around the world. Our 2024 RFP focused on three key areas: ?? Upcycled plant proteins ?? Next-gen fermentation downstream processing ?? Hydrolysates for cultivated meat Following a rigorous review process, fourteen projects at the forefront of groundbreaking research in alternative proteins were selected for funding. These projects hold the potential to drive significant global impact by advancing the field in three critical areas: overcoming technical hurdles, unlocking additional funding, and fostering collaborations that attract new talent. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4g03ZHh

??? Time to dig into a busy month for #alternativeproteins including the most comprehensive, open-access life-cycle assessment (LCA) of plant-based meat to date, historic cultivated meat news in Hong Kong, and a new Substack penned by GFI CEO Ilya Sheyman. Take a look ?

David Kaplan, professor of biomedical engineering & executive director of Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA), appeared on Boston’s NPR news station WBUR to discuss cultivated meat R&D ?? https://wbur.fm/3Ohpg3t Kaplan, who was recently named one of the world’s most highly cited researchers according to Clarivate, highlighted the crucial role public funding from the state of Massachusetts has played in driving scientific progress in the field. "Being in Massachusetts is critical for this technology. We have all the life sciences, we have all the pharma industries here. So building this next wave of Massachusetts-led innovation in food is going to be something brand new. That's why the support from the state has been really important as well," says Kaplan. Earlier this year, TUCCA received a $2.1 million grant to establish a cellular agriculture innovation center aimed at closing the gap between innovation and commercialization of #cultivatedmeat and other cellular agriculture products.

Curious about a career in alternative proteins? Join GFI's Asia Sheehab & The Good Food Institute APAC's Arin Naidu on December 10 to explore academic and industry paths in this exciting field! Attend → https://bit.ly/4fHyBO5

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!

Want to stay on top of new public funding opportunities relevant to alternative protein companies? Join our email list to receive notifications about new funding opportunities that match your location, production platform, and manufacturing scale. You'll also get updates and resources related to public funding. Join now:

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