UK invests in National Alternative Protein Innovation Center

A £38 million center dedicated to pioneering sustainable and delicious alternatives to animal proteins is set to be led by the University of Leeds.

The UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Innovate UK have today announced £15 million in funding over the next five years for a National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), with the remaining support coming from partners.

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

The researchers aim to create a pan-UK innovation hub to ensure a continuous supply of safe, tasty, affordable, and healthy proteins that support Net Zero goals and future-proof 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 (lab-grown) meat.

NAPIC's partners believe the center will revolutionize the agri-food sector by harnessing world-leading science to create a strategy for alternative proteins that will take them from discovery and innovation to commercialization.

Professor Anwesha Sarkar, Director of Research and Innovation for Leeds' School of Food Science and Nutrition, is the Project Leader for NAPIC. She expressed her excitement about the announcement.

"A gradual shift towards low-emission alternative proteins that reduce reliance on animal agriculture is crucial to achieving sustainability and protein equity for all," she explained.

"However, there are many challenges, and population-level access to and acceptance of alternative proteins is currently hindered by a highly complex marketplace, concerns about taste, nutritional equivalence and cost, as well as health and safety worries for consumers and fears 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 policymakers that mitigate the risks associated with this emerging sector, and also addresses the short- and longer-term concerns of consumers and producers."

Professor Nick Plant, Leeds' Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, added: "This revolutionary new center is a testament to the groundbreaking research into alternative proteins already taking place at the University and will ensure the UK continues to be at the forefront of reducing population health inequalities.

"Finding sustainable alternatives to animal proteins is one of the biggest challenges faced by the planet and its people, and we are honored that Leeds has been chosen to co-lead this interdisciplinary team of talented researchers."

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 catalyst for realizing a projected UK growth potential in alternative proteins of £6.8bn annually, with 25,000 jobs created across multiple sectors, as predicted by the Environmental Group, Green Alliance in 2023.

Over 30 researchers from the four institutions 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 that 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 Leeds' Professor Anwesha Sarkar.

• PRODUCE will enable us to create 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.
• PROCESS will act as a catalyst for the mainstreaming of cultivated meat and precision fermentation to diversify and accelerate upscaling of alternative proteins.
• PERFORM will ensure that alternative proteins perform both before consumption and afterwards, taking on board taste and texture and safeguarding public health.
• PEOPLE 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.

The center 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 an unrivalled international network of partners, including the United Nations.

Co-director Professor Derek Stewart said: "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."

Professor Louise Dye, Co-Director of the University of Sheffield's Institute for Sustainable Food and NAPIC, 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."