Produced from animal cells, the new product can be manufactured on a large scale and become another option to meet the needs of the world's growing population
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12/31/2022 - 9:04
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(https://istoe.com.br/proteina-cultivada-tendencia-alimentar-do-futuro/)
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the world population will reach 9.8 billion people by 2050, a 34% growth compared to the current figure. To feed this population, the agency predicts that food production will need to increase by 70% and the annual production of meat will have to rise to more than 200 million tons, reaching 470 million tons. This has become a challenge, not only for the food industry but in general.
As one of the largest sources of nutrients, the demand for protein stands out from other food categories. Therefore, the world market is moving in this direction, working on developing alternatives to meet this need.
Technology startups and scientists are investing in the development of cultivated protein as a food option. Singapore has approved sales of this product for consumption. The Netherlands is also expected to do the same soon.
As research advances, cultivated protein has become one of the options for food security. It is produced by taking a small sample of an animal cell which, after undergoing replication processes, results in a product with the same sensory and nutritional characteristics as conventional protein.
In Brazil, JBS, the world's largest food company, is investing in the construction of its own technology center for the production of cultivated protein. The JBS Biotech Innovation Center, headquartered in the city of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, will occupy a 40, 000 m² plot of land, with an estimated investment of $60 million.
The construction of this research, development and innovation (RD&I) center is part of the project started by JBS in late 2021, when the company acquired 51% of the Spanish company BioTech Foods, for US$ 41 million. It is one of the leaders in the development of biotechnology for the production of cultivated protein and is expected to commercially produce one thousand tons per year as of 2024. The implementation of the new RD&I center is led by Dr. Luismar Marques Porto, president of the JBS Biotech Innovation Center, and Dr. Fernanda Vieira Berti, vice president of the RD&I Center. Both are among the greatest specialists in bioengineering in the country and have extensive international professional and academic experience.
In the following interview, Luismar Porto and Fernanda Berti reveal details about the Research Center's operation and expectations regarding cultivated protein as an option to meet the demand for food of the world's growing population.
Why did JBS decide to invest in the cultivated protein business?
Luismar Porto – Increasing food production is essential to meet the global demand. JBS, as the largest food company in the world, understands its responsibility in meeting this challenge.
Fernanda Berti – We understand that cultivated protein is also an important trend in the near future, but this bet by JBS is not a replacement investment. The company understands that sustainable traditional ways of protein production are also essential.
How big is JBS' investment?
Porto – In total, more than US$100 million is expected to be invested to consolidate the company in this market. The operation is being consolidated through the JBS Biotech Innovation Center. JBS is the only Brazilian company to control and lead investments in infrastructure for 100% national production of cultivated protein.
How important is the Cultivated Protein Research Center in JBS' business strategy?
Porto – The JBS Biotech Innovation Center is here to consolidate JBS' strategy in the sector and its mission is to be a center of excellence for the development of new technologies in the food biotechnology field, in an advanced, modern, and creative way. Initially, the center's focus will be the development of its own technology for the production of cultivated protein, aiming to make the large-scale production process more efficient and competitive in the international market.
Berti – The investment in this first stage will allow not only the construction of the laboratories and the pilot plant but also the acquisition of the necessary inputs to carry out the research for cultivated meat. The center should create more than 100 direct jobs, including positions for highly qualified professionals, initially with 25 PhD specialists for the animal protein project alone.
What are the expectations for the market of cultivated protein?
Berti – We are sure that this is a promising market and that it will produce its first results in the medium term. We understand that, when it is in the commercial phase, the cultivated protein will initially reach consumers in the form of prepared food, such as hamburgers, sausages, and meatballs, among others.
Porto – We have studied the matter deeply, for more than a year, including market trends, and we have opted for investments in a mature company and in a research center that will expand the possibilities of performance.