Innovate UK and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) are set to invest £15.6 million in 32 projects as part of the novel low-emission food production systems competition.
Through their strategic partnership, Innovate UK and BBSRC are supporting innovations designed to drive transformation across the food industry to meet the demands of a growing population while promoting health and sustainability.
Revolutionising diets and sustainability
A few of the projects are developing alternative proteins that contribute to a more sustainable and diversified food system.
Alternative proteins, such as plant-based and lab-grown options, place less demand on land and water resources than conventional proteins.
Coupled with the use of novel technologies, they also produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
The result is a reduced environmental impact when compared to traditional agriculture production processes.
Enhancing production processes
Many of the funded projects focus on enhancing production processes for cultivated meats to generate future products that are not only high in nutrients but also cost-effective.
Some of the projects also hope to unlock the growth potential of the UK insect farming industry, offering a sustainable approach to help decarbonise livestock production.
Growing up: vertical farming innovations
Several projects will explore vertical farming solutions which offer sustainable and innovative approaches to address challenges related to food production.
The potential benefits include:
- space and resource efficiency
- year-round localised production
- reduced environmental impact
One of the funded projects will develop a small-scale vertical farming model for foods like micro greens and mushrooms.
Another project will create indoor farming systems using advanced technologies to optimise plant health.
Fuelling UK industry growth
To further bolster the alternative proteins sector in the UK, BBSRC and Innovate UK have also launched a new funding opportunity to establish an innovation and knowledge centre (IKC).
This initiative aims to provide vital support for research and innovation in the field of alternative proteins.
The investment will serve as a driving force in fostering collaboration within the community to address a range of research and innovation challenges.
From fundamental discovery research and pre-competitive opportunities to proof-of-concept and commercially-focused activities, the IKC will play a pivotal role in advancing the landscape of alternative proteins in the UK.
Diverse and impactful innovations
Dr Stella Peace, Executive Director for the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, said:
At Innovate UK, our role is to inspire and invest in transformative changes that will future proof food production and manufacturing.
The projects we are supporting showcase the diverse and impactful innovations emerging in the UK’s agri-food sector.
We are excited to see these develop further and look forward to working with them.
Driving the COP28 declaration
Professor Guy Poppy, BBSRC Interim Executive Chair and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Food Sector Champion, said:
It is timely that just days after the UK, along with over 130 countries, signed the COP28 declaration on sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems and climate action, Innovate UK and BBSRC announce their latest strategic bioscience innovation programme investment.
This latest investment by Innovate UK and BBSRC not only marks a step change in the future of food production while addressing the pressing need for sustainable and nutritious food, but it also illustrates UKRI’s ongoing commitment to harnessing the full power of the UK’s research and innovation system to tackle major global challenges.
The 32 projects receiving this latest funding will help pioneer novel low-emission food production systems that are not just environmentally responsible but also economically viable.
Further information
This programme supports two UKRI strategic themes:
- securing better health, ageing and wellbeing: improve population health, tackle the health inequalities affecting people and communities, and advance interventions that keep us healthier for longer
- building a green future: accelerate the green economy by supporting research and innovation that unlock solutions essential to achieving net zero in the UK by 2050
Successful projects
Feasibility studies
Tools and technologies for cultured meat production
Project lead: Cell Guidance Systems Limited
Project partners:
- Aston University
- MarraBio Limited
- The University of Manchester
- Unicorn Biotechnologies Ltd
- University of Birmingham
- Zimmer and Peacock Limited
Our project uses complementary technologies from industry and academia to provide solutions for cultivated meat production to deliver low-cost, high nutrient, sustainable protein.
Novel Seaweed Chicken Feed Feasibility (NSCFF)
Project lead: Seaweed Generation Ltd
Project partners:
- Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock Ltd
- Microgrow Systems Limited
- Scotland’s Rural College
- University of West London
Understanding the feasibility of tank or sea cultivated dulse (a protein rich red seaweed) as a practical and cost viable alternative chicken feed.
Next-generation adaptive evolution toolkit to increase protein production in precision fermentation
Project lead: Evolutor Limited
Project partner: The University of Sheffield
Developing a new biological toolkit to unlock the power of evolution in building microbes with maximised protein production capabilities for commercial success.
High potency food grade growth factor mimics for low cost cultivated meat manufacture
Project lead: MarraBio Limited
Project partners:
- Aelius Biotech Limited
- Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) Limited
MarraBio makes better ingredients for cultivated meat and are partnering with CPI and Aelius Biotech to improve manufacturing and assess how these ingredients are digested.
Unlocking the next-generation protein expression systems for animal-free cheese production
Project lead: High Efficiency Research Laboratory (HERlab)
Project partner: University of Kent
HERlab is a synthetic biology and artificial intelligence (AI) start-up discovering novel and superior yeasts for scalable precision fermentation.
Investigate the commercial viability of growing alliums in a protected cropping environment
Project lead: Stourgarden Limited
Project partner: University of Essex
Feasibility and optimisation study for modular cricket farming and harvesting system
Project lead: Oko Protein Ltd
Project partners:
- Food and Drink Forum Limited
- University of Nottingham
Decarbonisation and decentralisation of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser production
Project lead: Debye Ltd
Project partners:
- Agri-EPI Centre Limited
- Crop Health and Protection Limited
Debye aims to empower farmers to locally produce zero carbon nitrogen fertilisers using only air, water and renewable electricity.
InSAFE: securing the future of the UK’s insect farming industry
Project lead: University of Leeds
Project partner: Entocycle Ltd
InSAFE will develop protocols and codes of practice to unlock the growth of the UK insect farming industry and its potential to decarbonise livestock production.
Developing novel animal cell lines and processes incorporating engineered caf1 to scale cultured meat protein manufacturing
Project lead: Unicorn Biotechnologies Ltd
Project partner: MarraBio Limited
Unicorn Biotechnologies is partnering with MarraBio to utilise engineered proteins to ’trick’ arrays of different adherent cell types into growing in suspension in order to improve cultivated meat production.
Mobile artemia production unit: toward sustainable protein production
Project lead: Aquanzo Ltd
Project partner: University of Glasgow
Aquanzo and the Centre for Sensor and Imaging Systems are leading the transition of marine ingredients production from harvesting (fisheries) to sustainable farming through pioneering a modular production system on land.
AdvanceYeastPro-Advanced and sustainable yeast-based novel food, grown in vegetable derived scaffolds for a high-structured and protein rich product
Project lead: University of Leeds
Project partners:
- AgriFoodX Limited
- G’s Fresh Limited
Vertical Farming and Storage Technologies (V-FAST)
Project lead: UK Urban AgriTech
Project partners:
- RheEnergise Ltd
- The James Hutton Institute
- Intelligent Growth Solutions
V-FAST is a feasibility study, integrating novel pumped hydro energy storage with vertical farming for scalable, decarbonised business models, with protein-rich crop portfolios.
Stability and shelf life of regenerative raw materials for cultivated meat
Project lead: University of Birmingham
Project partners: Quest Meat Ltd
Global meat consumption is not sustainable, yet could double by 2050, our project will accelerate cost-effective cultivated meat production.
Developing a circular model for low-emission, healthy, total controlled environment agriculture (TCEA) food production
Project lead: Kilnsey Park
Project partners:
- Biorenewables Development Centre Limited
- University of York
Kilnsey Park will develop an innovative, small-scale vertical farming model that produces local, healthy and environmentally friendly foods such as micro greens and mushrooms.
BioPro: low emission protein production from anaerobic digestion gases
Project lead: Novatica Technologies Ltd
Project partner: University of Chester
BioPro will develop biomethane-to-proteins technology to achieve UK’s self-sufficiency in animal feed, fostering economic growth and sustainability.
Pulses 4 Foods: pulse-based ingredients for high-protein cheese alternatives
Project lead: Good Pulse Foods Ltd
Project partner: University of Nottingham
Use of crop leaves for high-value animal protein production
Project lead: Kyomei Ltd
Project partner: National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Building UK capability to deliver innovative alternative proteins
Project lead: SPG Innovation Limited
Project partners:
- Baker Perkins Ltd
- University of Leeds
This project explores the boundaries of current low emission processes for texturising proteins and the feasibility of alternative technologies to produce alternative proteins.
Industrial research
GyroPlant: making TCEA farms sustainable
Project lead: GyroPlant Ltd
Project partner: Crop Health and Protection Limited
This project will find new ways to integrate our ‘GyroCup’ technology into indoor farming systems; allowing crops to be grown more sustainably at scale.
CLEAN palm: scale-up and genetic tools for sustainable UK palm oil production
Project lead: Clean Food Group (CFG) Limited
Project partner: University of Bath
The project will enable CFG to develop high value microbial oils and accelerate the commercialisation of their technology platform, to help create a more sustainable food production system.
Prototyping and validating novel scalable biomimetic bioreactors for low carbon cultivated meat production
Project lead: CellCraft Ltd
Project partners:
- The University of Manchester
- University of Cambridge
This project brings together interdisciplinary expertise to develop novel, low-carbon cultivated meat production systems (bioreactors) to empower food producers, thus improving food security and sustainability.
Protein RecOvery for Food using Ionic Liquid Extraction (PROFILE)
Project lead: Arborea Ltd
Project partners:
- Imperial College London
- University of Greenwich
Arborea is collaborating with Imperial College London and University of Greenwich, to develop new functional protein products and capitalise on Arborea’s rapid, low-cost and sustainable technology for the production of high quality proteins.
Nutritional-enhancement of waste and Black Soldier Fly Meal (BSFLM) to make the UK a world-leader in BSFLM industry economics
Project lead: Mana Biosystems Limited
Project partner: Nottingham Trent University
Black soldier fly larvae will be fed food waste that is nutritionally enhanced using nanometre sized natural minerals before being added to poultry feed.
Development of hollow-fibre bioreactor technology to enable resource-efficient cultivated meat production
Project lead: Cellular Agriculture Ltd
Project partner: Campden BRI (Chipping Campden) Limited
Cellular Agriculture and Campden BRI are developing processes to cultivate nutritious animal muscle to reduce carbon, water and land-use; addressing scale, usability and food safety.
Scaling the UK insect protein sector: industrial research for low-emission protein production
Project lead: AgriGrub Ltd
Project partners:
- Aston University
- Beta Bugs Ltd
This project will address key barriers to scaling the production of insect protein in the UK to decarbonise food waste and livestock production.
Emerging mycoforestry technology for carbon-negative food production
Project lead: Mycorrhizal Systems Ltd
Project partner: University of Stirling
Growing fungi with living trees allows food production and forestry to occupy the same land, creating a carbon-negative crop with the potential to feed millions.
Harnessing the power of the microbiome to establish world-leading TCEA capacity
Project lead: Concert Bio Ltd
Project partner: Imperial College London
Concert Bio helps soilless growers manage their microbiome and are collaborating with Imperial College London to investigate plant-microbe interactions in hydroponic systems.
Scaling up a novel low-emission fungal fermentation-based production system to commercialise ultra-realistic meat whole-cuts alternatives
Project lead: Adamo Foods Ltd
Project partner: CPI Limited
This new project focuses on scaling up the company’s unique and proprietary fermentation process to produce Adamo’s game-changing whole cuts at high volumes, without compromising on quality.
Advanced Crop Dynamic Control (ACDC) for sustainable leaf protein production in vertical farms
Project lead: LettUs Grow Ltd
Project partners:
- Crop Health and Protection Limited
- Fotenix Ltd
- Perfectly Fresh Ltd
- Rothamsted Research
- Vertically Urban Ltd
Developing highly energy-efficient and sustainable indoor farming systems through image-based analysis, AI and software that optimises the growing environment based on plant health.
CULT-GRO: a game-changing growth enhancer to accelerate the affordable scale-up of cultivated meat
Project lead: Quest Meat Ltd
Project partners:
- Multus Biotechnology Limited
- University College London (UCL)
The project, led by Quest Meat with Multus Bio and UCL, will create and test novel, all-in-one culture media that contains edible scaffolding for low-cost cultivated meat production.
Revolutionising rice cultivation: a novel low-emission rice line to mitigate agriculture’s environmental carbon dioxide impact
Project lead: Tropic Biosciences UK Limited
Project partner: National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Rice cultivation supports 25% global calories but contributes 23% agriculture-related greenhouse gas emissions. Tropic’s innovations increase yield, reducing emissions per calorie significantly.
Top image: Credit: MEDITERRANEAN, E+ via Getty Images