Author: David Salcines
With the global population estimated to reach 10.3 billion by the mid-2080s the world faces a challenge in terms of food sustainability making necessary for food production to evolve to meet this growing demand in a way that does not compromise our planet or the health of its inhabitants. Alternative sources for protein production, which currently relies heavily on animal sources with their associated environmental impacts, is a key area of focus for ensuring a more environmentally friendly food future. In Europe, for example, protein consumption averages 82 grams per person per day, of which 49 grams come from animal products and only 33 grams from plant sources. It is also important to note that, in many developed countries, protein consumption exceeds recommended requirements, contributing to overfeeding that is often unsustainable.
To address these challenges, alternative sources of protein that are both healthy and sustainable must be found. The report “Meat Alternative” by the European Academics Science Advisory Council EASAC 2025 identifies protein production through biomass fermentation as one of the main alternatives for sustainable protein production for food. This process involves the use of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, algae and fungi to generate protein-rich biomass through fermentation. This method has the advantage is that it not only produces protein, but also contributes to environmental sustainability by minimizing the use of land, water, and energy compared to conventional animal agriculture. Additionally, products fermented from microorganisms are not only a source of protein, but can also offer a balanced nutritional profile, with essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. However, it is important to note that nutritional content can vary depending on the microorganism used and the fermentation process employed.
Despite these advantages, there are significant technical and economic barriers to make protein production through microbial fermentation a viable alternative. One of the main challenges is the lack of adequate industrial infrastructure for large-scale food production. Many existing fermentation facilities were originally designed for other purposes and are not suited for commercial food protein production. The scaling-up process requires optimizing both the fermentation process and post-processing methods including the search for more sustainable carbon sources, such as agricultural or marine waste, and the need to develop new facilities capable of supporting large-scale production. These innovations are crucial to reducing production costs and making alternative proteins competitive with animal proteins in terms of price and availability.
The PROMISEANG project tackles these challenges by developing novel proteins from underexploited marine sources through advanced microbial fermentation, turning marine discards and industrial biowastes into high-quality, nutritious protein biomass suitable for food and feed applications. The project also evaluates the nutritional value, safety, and sustainability of these new fermentation-derived proteins compared to conventional sources, expands the availability of alternative proteins within the EU, and fosters circular bioeconomy solutions that reduce reliance on imports and lower the ecological footprint of protein supply chains.
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