A taste of the future: crafting new dairy products

Next-generation milk, cheese and yoghurt ingredients produced using precision fermentation will be among the first developed by Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA).

A team led by Associate Professor Esteban Marcellin from The University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) will work with industry partner All G Foods developing nature-identical proteins for dairy ingredients and products.

FaBA Director Dr Chris Downs said the four-year project represents the future of food and beverage manufacturing.

“Nature-identical dairy proteins allow us to replicate the ingredients for our favorite foods,” Dr Downs said.

“Australia’s fresh produce is very well regarded internationally – and this is an opportunity to add value to food and beverage products and position us as a global leader in an emerging area.

“FaBA is delighted to be working with industry partners to develop ingredients and products that will make their way into pantries and fridges across Australia and be exported to major international markets.

“In turn, it can help generate jobs for Australians.”

CEO of All G Foods, Jan Pacas, said the FaBA project would develop high-value dairy ingredients such as Lactoferrin, as well as products that consumers expect.

"We anticipate the precision fermentation process to yield highly efficient microbial strains capable of producing nature-identical dairy proteins,” Pacas said.

“These proteins will enable us to craft dairy products that mirror the functionality of traditional dairy.

"This technology offers Australia a unique market opportunity in an emerging industry with the potential for a substantial commercial impact, especially the ability to supply the Asia-Pacific region."

Dr Downs said the project was the first of many to be supported by FaBA, which has AU$50 million in federal investment and an additional AU$100 million being secured from industry and research participants.

“To allow the industry-led Food and Beverage Accelerator to address the challenges business face today, we need to listen and respond so we can help build the industry of tomorrow,” Dr Downs said.

FaBA is proudly hosted by The University of Queensland, with university partners QUT and the University of Southern Queensland.

It is supported by the Australian Government Department of Education through the Trailblazer Universities Program.