Food Solutions

Cellular agriculture is the production of agricultural products using microbial and mammalian cell culture. Applications include novel processes for food production (e.g. dairy, eggs, meat, animal feed), biomaterials (e.g. leather, fur, silk) and functional ingredients for a wide range of consumer products (e.g. fragrances, flavours, stabilisers). A wide range of biological building blocks can be produced via these methods – proteins, glycosides, lipids, oligo or polysaccharides, pigments or anti-oxidants. Complex structures can then also be built up, e.g. from proteins.

• Albumin – eggs
• Casein and whey — dairy
• Collagen and elastin – leather, cosmetics
• Keratin – fur, wool, cosmetics
• Fibroin — silk

Through synthetic biology we can produce take these same building blocks using plant and animal-free processes. 

Furthermore, as part of a closed loop system, we can produce products, that do not deplete natural resources, are much less resource intensive (e.g. fewer hectares, lower emissions), provide the opportunity to valorise waste streams (e.g. C0₂ or water) and minimise productivity risks associated with variable exposure to weather, weeds, insects and diseases. Similarly, production can be decentralised, moving closer to consumers, and making food security achievable regardless of local climate and natural resources.