Focus on foodtech and fermentation in new EU strategy

What’s the deal with fermentation in protein production? Quite a lot, it turns out. The process – which includes microbial, fungal or precision fermentation – uses significantly less land, water and energy than traditional meat production, while slashing greenhouse gas emissions.

Now, the niche could be headed for a major boost. In a new strategy for life science, the European Commission singles out fermentation as a technology with "significant potential", according to reporting by Green Queen.

"Startups and other SMEs are playing a leading role in driving innovation in advanced fermentation technologies," the Commission writes in the newly published strategy.

Speed up approval process

As part of the strategy, Brussels is also proposing a new "Biotech Act" aimed at speeding up the approval process for novel food products – including cultivated meat and precision-fermented proteins.

The EU’s new investment plan includes 2.2 billion SEK (€190M) via Horizon Europe to strengthen collaboration between researchers and foodtech firms. A further 1.6 billion SEK (€140M) will also be made available.

Since 2020, the EU has already channelled over 2.7 billion SEK (€230M) into food research.