Industry & News

The ECOFERM consortium (NIZO, Biotechnology Fermentation Factory, DAB.bio, Vivici, dsm-firmenich and Van Hall Larenstein) is testing whether encouraging microbes to clump together can keep them inside the bioreactor while product is drawn off. The work uses beta-lactoglobulin, the main whey protein, as the model product and runs on DAB.bio's FAST reactor, funded by the Dutch TKI Agri & Food programme. Budget and duration have not been disclosed.

Nanyang Technological University researchers grew oyster mushroom mycelium on okara, the soybean-pulp by-product, by solid-state fermentation. Protein rose to 27.7–30.2% by dry weight, glucose rose 2.8 to 6.4 times and umami compounds rose several-fold. Sourness fell, but some samples turned more bitter and dry. The work was published in Food Chemistry: X.

True Nexus and Pasqal are using neutral-atom quantum processors combined with AI to decode the molecular mechanisms that govern how proteins gel and structure during food processing, working backward from desired texture to the exact molecular features and processing conditions needed. The approach has already flagged nearly 800 plant protein candidates with emulsifying potential, aiming to replace trial-and-error formulation with predictive design.

A team led by Melanie Oey at the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience grew microalgae on the leftover nutrients from cultivated meat cell culture, then recycled the harvested algae back into the system to replace expensive growth factors and amino acids. Published in Food Research International in September 2026, the study is described as the first feasibility demonstration of a circular cell-culture system, with estimated growth-media cost reductions of 60-90%.

Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) fed rats varying doses of xanthan gum and found colon inflammation, elevated IL-1β and TNF-α, a shift toward inflammation-linked microbiota, and reduced intestinal barrier integrity. Nutritionist Alessandra Rischiteli, commenting on the findings, distinguished occasional use from the daily, ingredient-level exposure now common across gummies, ice creams, sauces, soups, and smoothies.

A single amino-acid substitution developed by researchers at the Technical University of Denmark and the University of Washington lets brazzein — a plant protein up to 2,000x sweeter than sugar — survive baking and sterilization above 110°C instead of breaking down at 80°C, opening the door to sugar-free baked goods and sterilized drinks.

Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven patented a food-grade combination of piperine (black pepper's spicy compound) and nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) that mimics alcohol's "body" and mouthfeel in NA beer — addressing the exact sensory gap consumer panels rate lowest.

LSU researchers patented an acid-hydrolysis process that transforms house-cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder into a dark, umami-rich, soy-sauce-like condiment in hours — a way to get a sustainability-friendly protein source into Western diets without asking anyone to eat a whole insect.

UGA researchers developed and patented a pressure-sensitive adhesive made from biodegradable polyester that matches the tack and peel strength of petroleum-based adhesives used on food labels and packaging — but fully breaks down in a home compost bin.

George Mason University patented magnetically-controlled microbots built from spent coffee grounds — an abundant waste product — capable of removing industrial dyes, microplastics, and oil-spill contaminants from water without the energy and infrastructure conventional treatment requires.

A team led by Prof. Dr. Mecit Halil Öztop at METU's (ODTÜ) Food Engineering Department was accepted into the EU-backed APRISE project, focused on developing and researching alternative proteins from plants and industrial by-products — including chickpea- and lentil-derived proteins with naturally boosted protein content for long-shelf-life, high-protein foods. The project was one of only 13 accepted out of 117 applications submitted to the European Commission, and the sole Turkish project selected, with partner institutions across Germany, Sweden, Malta, Greece, Italy, Poland, the UK, North Macedonia, Spain and Denmark.