GFI program explores Brazil’s vast biodiversity in search of alternative plant proteins

17 Jun 2021 --- The Good Food Institute (GFI) Brazil is spearheading The Biomas Project, a program to fund exploratory research for transforming plant species native to the Amazon and Cerrado biomes into food ingredients that the alternative protein industry needs to sustainably feed the growing population.

With an investment of up to R$135,000 (US$26,700) per project, the funding will be directed toward studies that focus on the investigation of four Amazonian species (babaçu, guaraná, cupuaçu and Brazil nuts) and three from the Cerrado (baru, macaúba and pequi).

In Brazil, a new species of fauna and flora is discovered every three days, GFI highlights. With such an abundance of biodiversity, Brazil’s native plant species hold great potential to promote forest conservation, sustainably enhance meat-free products and boost local economic development. 

“The potential of Brazilian native flora is not reflected in supermarkets, fairs and even less in Brazilian cuisine. As a result, society fails to enjoy the benefits arising from this wealth,” says GFI Brazil’s science and technology manager Cristiana Ambiel.

“In the case of species for food use, society ends up not benefiting from the high nutritional values present in native Brazilian species. Although nature is rich, this wealth must be used wisely. This could be humanity’s great step into the future.”Innova Market Insights reports that over 80 percent of Latin Americans believe more should be done by industry and national leaders to fortify sustainable food chains.

Unlocking Brazilian plant species
The program is funded by the Climate Land and Use Alliance (CLUA) Foundation. It is a timely ambition as recent analysis of the Plant-Forward industry trend has suggested that animal-based diets may begin to drop after “peak meat” apex in 2025.

GFI Brazil carried out a study to select the best possible native plants for alternative protein production, taking into account each species’ technical and economic potential. It further aims to create open-access tools and methods that yield tasty, sustainable and accessible foods.

The organization studied the number of producing communities, production volume and maturity of the production chain to arrive at the economic results. 

For the technical potential analysis, criteria such as the chemical composition of products, technological potential and nutritional aspects were used. 

Based on these factors, GFI Brazil determined that Brazil nuts, babaçu, cupuaçu, macaúba, baru, pequi and guaraná have the highest potential to sustainably enhance alternative protein products in Brazil and beyond.

The organization anticipates this will result in ingredients such as defatted flour; protein concentrate and/or protein isolate; biomass with high fiber content; soluble or insoluble fibers; natural pigments, oils and fats; and other ingredients that can be applied to plant-based foods and improve the technological and nutritional characteristics of the final products.

Meat-loving Brazil craves plant-based
Brazil currently ranks as the world’s third-largest meat-consuming market, behind China and the US. Despite this, the plant-based revolution has already begun to carve out a stronger foothold in the region, as evidenced by new local introductions of vegan brands such as Fazenda Futuro (Future Farm).

Market opportunities are similarly ripening for cell-based meat, which will soon be hitting Brazilian tables. Aleph Farms recently inked a new deal with global meat and food company BRF to co-develop and produce cultured meat using Aleph’s patented production platform BioFarm for the meat-loving market.

Innova Market Insights reports that over 80 percent of Latin Americans believe more should be done by industry and national leaders to fortify sustainable food chains, while less than 60 percent of US consumers share the same sentiment.

Identifying key research opportunities
The key potential research themes for The Biomas Project also include identifying uses for industrial or agri-business residues or byproducts, as well as developing and optimizing processes to obtain ingredients through ecological methods.

Additionally, research could focus on developing ingredients for plant-based product applications that improve the sensory characteristics of appearance, color, flavor and texture, while promoting an increase in nutritional aspects, reducing the final product cost, and developing products with clean label appeal.

GFI Brazil is calling for researchers to submit their applications by July 13. The projects must be completed within 12 months, and must be developed in Brazil.

“We are privileged to have vast biodiversity, with the potential to transform native species into sustainable ingredients for the plant-based product market,” explains GFI Brazil’s director of science and technology, Dr. Katherine de Matos.

“This research will focus on establishing paths for valuing native species, expanding technological information on them, and expanding the use of these species’ enormous natural potential as ingredients in plant-based products, boosting regional economic development.”

Last April, GFI and more than 60 key players and stakeholders in the alternative protein space called on the US federal government last April to make investing in the science and technology of alt-proteins a “national priority” in the fiscal year 2022 budget.

By Benjamin Ferrer