Professor Munish Puri appointed as inaugural Riddet-AgResearch Chair in Alternative Proteins

Professor Munish Puri has been appointed as the first Riddet-AgResearch Chair in Alternative Proteins, a newly established position designed to advance New Zealand’s research and development in the cultivated and precision fermentation food sector. The position is jointly funded by AgResearch and the Riddet Institute, two leading entities in food science research.

Based at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University in Palmerston North, Professor Puri will focus on developing ‘cell factories’—controlled systems that cultivate microbial, mammalian, plant, or fungal cells to produce essential biomolecules. These molecules can be used to create high-value food ingredients, such as smart fats, beneficial enzymes, and proteins that offer targeted nutrition.

Professor Puri, who previously served as Associate Professor in Medical Biotechnology at Flinders University in Melbourne, is a leading expert in alternative proteins, precision fermentation, and cellular agriculture. His expertise will contribute to strengthening New Zealand’s position in the emerging alternative protein industry, providing diversification and resilience to the conventional agriculture sector.

“Bioprocessing allows us to harness non-genetic methods to manipulate microbes and create novel, high-value nutraceutical products,” Professor Puri explained. “The starting point is a cell—it could be mammalian, microbial, plant-based, or fungal. We cultivate these cells in a controlled environment to develop specialized products recognized as superfoods or next-generation food ingredients.”

The research will explore the potential of naturally occurring yeasts, microalgae, and fungi, which contain high levels of proteins, smart fats, and essential micronutrients. Professor Puri noted that these methods have already been widely used in pharmaceutical applications, such as the production of insulin and chymosin for cheese-making, and are now being adapted for sustainable food production.

As part of his role, Professor Puri is assembling a research team, including research officers, postdoctoral scientists, and three PhD students, while also overseeing the installation of new bioprocessing equipment. His primary research efforts in Palmerston North will focus on producing alternative proteins and fats in collaboration with the food product development team at the Riddet Institute and AgResearch’s emerging foods project.

“Proteins receive a lot of attention, but lab-based production methods can also generate smart fats, polysaccharides, vitamins, carotenoids, and highly nutritive oils,” he said. “This technological advantage enables us to create a variety of functional food ingredients beyond protein.”

While these technologies currently require significant investment and infrastructure, Professor Puri believes industry engagement is crucial to scaling up production and reducing costs. He emphasized the need for larger manufacturing facilities in New Zealand and Australia to compete with leading markets such as Singapore and the United States, where industrial-scale precision fermentation and cultivated food production facilities are already established.

“The next frontier of food production must take shape here,” he said. “We need advanced equipment, skilled talent, and strong industry collaboration to position New Zealand as a leader in alternative proteins.”

Professor Puri also highlighted the global significance of these new food systems, which could address malnutrition in regions with limited agricultural resources. While plant-based and cultivated foods may not immediately dominate domestic consumption in New Zealand and Australia, they hold strong export potential and could enhance New Zealand’s reputation as a producer of high-quality, sustainable food.

“In New Zealand, we are fortunate to have an abundance of food choices,” he said. “These innovative food solutions are more likely to be exported, contributing to our economic growth and meeting the increasing global demand for non-animal food sources.”

The Riddet Institute, a Centre of Research Excellence hosted by Massey University, specializes in human nutrition and food research. AgResearch, a Crown Research Institute, focuses on the pastoral and agritechnology sectors. Together, these organizations are driving advancements in alternative protein science.

Riddet Institute Director Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh emphasized that the appointment of Professor Puri demonstrates the strength of the partnership between AgResearch, the Riddet Institute, and Massey University. AgResearch Science Group Manager Stefan Clerens echoed this sentiment, stating that the new professorship is a natural progression in their collaboration on advanced food science research.

“We are partners in the CoRE, and partners in the building, so it’s a natural step to also partner in advanced science,” said Clerens.