Helping alternative proteins go mainstream for a sustainable planet

A £38m centre dedicated to developing acceptable and planet-friendly alternatives to animal proteins is to be headed up by the University of Leeds.

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has announced £15m of funding over five years for a National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), with the remainder of the support coming from partners.

The centre will be co-led by the James Hutton Institute, the University of Sheffield, and Imperial College London.

The researchers aim to create a pan-UK innovation centre to secure a continuous supply of safe, tasty, affordable, and healthy proteins which also support Net Zero goals and futureproof the UK’s food and animal feed security.

Alternative proteins (AP) are derived from sources other than animals. They include terrestrial and aquatic plants such as cereals, legumes, tubers and nuts; fungus such as mushrooms; algae (such as seaweed); insects; proteins derived via biomass or precision fermentation, and cultured (or lab-grown) meat.

NAPIC’s partners believe the centre will revolutionise the agri-food sector by harnessing world-leading science to create a strategy for alternative proteins which will take them from the discovery and innovation phase, right through to commercialisation.

Professor Anwesha Sarkar, Director of Research and Innovation for Leeds’ School of Food Science and Nutrition, is the Project Leader for NAPIC. She said she was thrilled by the announcement.

“A phased transition towards low-emission alternative proteins which have a reduced reliance on animal agriculture is imperative to deliver sustainability and protein equity for one and all, and to ensure a sustainable planet,” she explained.

“There are many challenges though, and population-level access to, and acceptance of, alternative proteins is currently hindered by a highly complex marketplace, and there are worries about taste, nutritional equivalence and cost, as well as health and safety concerns for consumers and the fear of diminished livelihoods for farmers.

“NAPIC will provide a robust and sustainable platform for open innovation and responsible data exchange and collaboration with partners from industry, regulators, academic partners and policy makers that mitigates the risks associated with this emerging sector, and also addresses the short- and longer-term concerns of consumers and producers.”

Bridging the gap between the UK’s trailblazing science and innovation in alternative proteins with production power will be key to NAPIC’s success. Those behind the project believe it could be a true catalyst to realising a projected UK growth potential in alternative proteins of £6.8B annually, with 25,000 jobs created across multiple sectors, as predicted by the Environmental Group, Green Alliance in 2023.

Pillars of knowledge

Over 30 researchers from the four institutions, including Dr Gesa Reiss, Innovation Fellow in the School of Biology and Global Food and Environment Institute, and more than 120 NAPIC partners will work closely with industry, regulators, investors, and policymakers to create a vibrant alternative protein innovation ecosystem and produce a clear roadmap for the development of a National Protein Strategy for the UK.

Together they will work on four interdisciplinary knowledge pillars to efficiently and safely translate the groundbreaking new technologies which could unlock the benefits of alternative proteins.

The “PRODUCE” pillar will be led by Professor Derek Stewart of the James Hutton Institute. “PROCESS” will be led by Professor Karen Polizzi of Imperial College London. “PEOPLE” will be led by Professor Louise Dye of the University of Sheffield. “PERFORM” will be led by Professor Anwesha Sarkar of the University of Leeds.

NAPIC will enable us to PRODUCE the tasty, nutritious, safe, and affordable AP foods and feedstocks necessary to safeguard present and future generations, while addressing concerns about ultra-processed foods and assisting a just-transition for producers.
The PROCESS Pillar will act as a catalyst for the mainstreaming of cultivated meat and precision fermentation to diversify and accelerate upscaling of alternative proteins.
NAPIC will ensure that alternative proteins PERFORM both before consumption and afterwards, taking on board taste and texture and safeguarding public health.
The PEOPLE pillar aims to deliver a just transition to an AP-rich future and will guide consumers’ dietary transition, focusing on affordability and acceptability, offering benefits for health, identifying new business opportunities for farmers, and future-proofing the UK’s protein supply against reliance on imports.

Dr Reiss, an expert in agri food, will co-lead activities related to policy and regulations. Through a series of workshops, the team of researchers aim to identify industry challenges for alternative proteins, as well gaps in training needs for researchers to help them inform policy development at local, national and international level.

This is a particularly exciting area of the project as it’s about supporting researchers to achieve their potential and make real world impact. This will not only accelerate our ambition to bring alternative proteins into the mainstream but it’s also an essential part of the academic research culture.

Dr Gesa Reiss, Innovation Fellow, School of Biology and Global Food and Environment Institute

Developing future leaders

The centre also aims to develop the future leaders of what is a rapidly evolving sector experiencing significant consumer demand. Bespoke technical, entrepreneurial, regulatory and policy training will be offered and NAPIC will also promote the exchange of knowledge through what it describes as an unrivalled international network of partners, including the United Nations.

Our long-term vision is to make alternative proteins mainstream for a sustainable planet and our ambition is to deliver a world-leading innovation and knowledge centre which will put the UK at the forefront of the battle for population health equity and the fight against climate change.

Professor Sarkar

Co-director Professor Derek Stewart said: “It is a privilege to work with this team and to lead the PRODUCE Pillar.

“There is a huge biodiversity in non-animal sources of protein, and we have barely scratched the surface of this. NAPIC has all the skills, experience, and collaborators across all sectors to make the transformative change to transition alternative proteins to the mainstream.”

Co-director Professor Louise Dye added: “The key to helping consumers transition towards including alternative proteins in their diet will be ensuring the safety and health benefits of APs and working with our industry partners to integrate alternative proteins into consumers daily diets in ways which are affordable and are as palatable as conventional protein sources.”

Project co-lead Professor Karen Polizzi from Imperial College London said: "Transitioning to healthy, sustainable sources of protein is a pressing global challenge.

“NAPIC will help facilitate this transition by supporting researchers and industry in all parts of the process from product design through to consumer acceptance. At Imperial, we will focus on how to develop economical, sustainable processes for large-scale production of newly discovered alternative proteins within the PROCESS pillar.”