Innovations with Proteins Offer Future Sustainability Solutions

Algae can be an important source of fuel and healthy oils. Work on the functional and nutritional properties of algae proteins is about to get a further boost.

Oct 15 2010 --- Algae, rapeseed, insects and single cell proteins are offering new opportunities as alternative protein sources. The need to develop new sustainable protein sources, raw materials and processes could not be more pressing. The world’s population is estimated to reach 9.1 billion in 2050. The major countries of China, Russia and India show a steady increase in the standard of living, hence their demand for animal and dairy proteins will increase. Bridge2Food is hosting The Protein Summit 2010 - Creating Sustainable Opportunities - 25 & 26 November, addressing opportunities (new) proteins can offer.

Algae can be an important source of fuel and healthy oils. Work on the functional and nutritional properties of algae proteins is about to get a further boost. The Dutch research organization, TNO, has recently received a grant of € 1.5 million for 2 years research on the options to extract proteins from algae together with the Ingepro Renewables company. Mr. Ronald Korstanje, Business Development Manager with TNO, comments: “this is a great opportunity for work on breakthroughs to open the opportunities of this new protein source”. Solazyme, Inc., a leading renewable oil and bioproducts company based in the USA is working on using algal biotechnology to renewably produce clean fuels, chemicals, foods and health science products. The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature & Food Quality has also funded the development of an Algae Centre at Wageningen UR in The Netherlands.

Canola proteins for food applications will soon become available at a large scale. The applications for a FDA approval in the USA by Burcon NutraScience from Canada has recently been granted. Soon there will be no obstacles anymore for large scale usage of these proteins in meat products, bakery goods, beverages and other applications. Canola proteins will offer new opportunities to meet the future demand for proteins. Managing Director of Burcon NutraScience, Mr. Johann Tergesen, will address the food industry on these opportunities at The Protein Summit 2010.

Proteins sources which can also offer solutions are insects and single cell proteins. Insects are already a food form for many people around the world. Large scale production is, however, not in place yet. Research at Wageningen UR in The Netherlands focuses on finding applications for insect proteins in foods. Can insects help in turning food waste streams into proteins for human consumption, add value and be part of a cradle-to-cradle strategy? Reducing waste streams are a key sustainability challenge for the food and retailing industries in many countries around the world.

The real challenge is to develop meat-like proteins from single cell proteins. Professor Joost Teixeira de Mattos of the Free University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands comments: “we have worked hard on the first challenges of growing single cells in-vitro. Progress has been made, yet we are looking for more funds to get this research to the next level”. Professor Joost Teixeira de Mattos will give an update on the research progess at the Protein Summit 2010.

“This summit offers a unique opportunity to bring together the private sector, government and scientists on the subject of protein” says Mrs. Alida Oppers, Director of the Department of Food, Animal Health and Welfare and Consumer Policy of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature & Food Quality.

Keynote contributions include business managers and opinion leaders from insights from leading retailers, Vion Food Group, Premier Foods, Alpro Soja, Rabobank, Fonterra, FAO, Nutreco, DSM, CBL, Solae, GfK, Burcon NutraScience, CJ Foods, ETZ, Wageningen and Amsterdam Universities, TNO and many others.

The Protein Innovation Plaza at The Protein Summit 2010 will give companies, research organisations and policy-makers the opportunity to interact, form alliances, start projects and create new business opportunities.