AQUA 2024

August 26 - 30, 2024

Copenhagen, Denmark

THE CASE OF NOVEL INGREDIENTS IN THE FEED AND FOOD INDUSTRY: HOW TO APPROACH NOVELTY

Sergio Nates

 

Houdek

705 32nd Ave S

Brookings, SD 57006

Sergio.nates@houdeknature.com

 



Sustainability  is  currently  a  strong driver for replacing animal proteins  in the  feed and food industries and some activists claim large-scale animal protein production is an unproductive use of natural resources when compared to the environmental impact of plant-based protein production.  Indeed, feed production for animal consumption and food preferences in humans are changing as there is greater moral and nutritional interest in the vegan lifestyle.   The complexity of animal products and the physicochemical principles you need in order to assemble  novel plant-based ingredients ,  each with their own physical, functional, nutritional, and sensory attributes is a major challenge.   In addition, sustainability must also include the entire ecosystem from clean energy sources to feedstock. On the other hand, fermentation has enormous potential to positively transform the food system , but feedstocks are the major cost driver for most fermentation processes.   Fermentation processes can take advantage of a variety of host organisms, feedstock sources and cultivation processes, offering an unparalleled opportunity to decouple protein production from limited resources such as land, freshwater and other inputs.  Traditionally used to improve food functionalities such as preservation, taste, and texture, novel fermentation solutions are enjoying a resurgence with new, innovative technologies being developed across various segments of the  feed & food industries . New generation genetic modification technologies can be applied to increase the functionality of microorganisms including novel ones for fermentation and benefits.   The use of precision fermentation for the production of major food components (proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates) is emerging as an attractive option for the transformation of food systems.   In this presentation, we will highlight a leading-edge fungal framework being used for precision fermentation, and we will briefly overview our groundbreaking technology to create novel ingredients that can accelerate the growth of the feed and food industries in a more sustainable way.