Precision fermentation potentially “transformative” for industry, says FaBA

The University of Queensland-based Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) has released a report on what it says is a “transformative opportunity” offered by precision fermentation.

In a statement on Monday, UQ said that while fermentation itself is nothing new, its more recent version of the technique was “on the brink of producing tailored, sustainable food sources” and could “strengthen food systems, foster economic growth, enhance environmental sustainability, and boost food security.”

The CSIRO explains precision fermentation as producing “novel proteins or protein ingredients” through growing microbes on a feedstock such as sugar, where the microbial cells “are genetically modified to produce the desired protein in high quantities.”

The new Precision Fermentation: A Future of Food in Australia (linked) white paper features input from approximately 70 authors from industry, government and academia and comes with eight recommendations. These include “common international standards, boosting investment in large-scale manufacturing, and standardising methods to assess environmental impacts”.    

“Our primary recommendation is to develop a National Food Plan that would unify efforts in regulation, innovation and promotion of precision fermentation,” said Professor Esteban Marcellin from FaBA.

“This approach would enable streamlined approvals, better integration with traditional agriculture, and a coordinated strategy to build a robust industry.”

Picture: Dr James Heffernan working with a FaBA-funded bioreactor (credit UQ)

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