Israel announces infrastructure for alternative protein development

Alternative proteins are foods produced from plants or animal cells, or by way of fermentation. These innovative products are designed to taste the same as or better than conventional animal products while costing the same or less.

Compared to conventionally produced proteins, alternative proteins require fewer inputs such as land and water and generate far fewer harmful effects such as greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.

Some of these products are available to consumers today, including numerous plant-based and fermentation-derived options. Others, such as cultivated meats, are in the process of being developed for widespread and low-cost consumption.

Maintaining Israel’s global leadership in the field of alternative proteins

As part of the Israel national operational plan led by the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) to maintain and expand the strength of its developmental ecosystem in the field of alternative proteins, it has announced a new RFP (request for proposal – an open request for bids to complete a new project proposed by the company or other organization that issues it) for the establishment of infrastructures for precision fermentation of microorganisms to develop alternative proteins.  

RFPs are meant to open up competition and encourage a variety of alternative proposals that might be considered by a project’s planners.

Fermentation technology in general and precision fermentation (uses microbial hosts as “cell factories” for producing specific functional ingredients) are an important building block in this field, both as a means to manufacture proteins and other nutrients for the food industry, the main method for manufacturing dedicated and vital nutrients for cultured proteins and components to enrich plant-based meat and dairy alternatives.  

In response to this need, there has been an increase in the field of alternative proteins and in the field of non-protein nutrients, using synthetic biology methods which make use of substitute microorganisms as manufacturing systems (food coloring, fats with animal-fat structure, enzymes for food manufacturing, flavorings and more).  

Fermentation manufacturing methods can be divided into three subcategories based on their technological intensity: 

Traditional fermentation – fermentation of animal- and plant-based protein to alter flavor, texture or nutritional value (as in beer, yogurt, wine, soy sauce and more). 

The Good Food Institute Israel (GFI)  has been involved in defining the needs for this governmental bid, working closely with the Israeli Innovation Authority.

“This call for proposals is extremely important and will help solve one of the biggest barriers in the field of foodtech in Israel – the lack of local scale-up infrastructure in place," explained GFI vice president of strategy and policy Alla Voldman.

"Israel ranks second in the world in investments in companies in the field of precision fermentation for alternative proteins, but in recent years many companies have been compelled to invest millions of dollars in establishing infrastructure, or carry out their development abroad. We hope that the government’s support on the matter will allow young Israeli fermentation companies to use their resources more effectively. Now the ball is in the hands of fermentation operators and companies to get involved in establishing the infrastructure, this is a tremendous opportunity for them to take part in the future of food from the very start.”

Microorganism fermentation to create biomass – taking advantage of the rapid growth rate of microorganisms to create large mass which itself is used as a nutrient or a protein. 

Precision fermentation – genetic substitution of microorganisms for the creation of animal-based protein to create alternatives that are similar to animal-based products (egg yolks, milk, etc.) and/or manufacturing specific nutrients for the food industry (food coloring, animal-based fats, enzymes, unique sugars and the like).