UK Government Invests £12 million in New Research Centre for Sustainable Proteins
The UK Government has made a significant investment of £12 million into a new research centre. The government is making its largest-ever investment into sustainable proteins by establishing a research centre that will concentrate on creating sustainable protein and cultivated meat.
The funding will be used to research and develop solutions that aim to decrease the environmental impact of food production and also decrease animal cruelty.
Cultivated meat is produced by growing animal cells in a controlled environment, eliminating the need for traditional animal rearing, farming and slaughter. Additionally, it provides a sustainable source of protein that can greatly decrease the negative environmental effects caused by conventional animal agriculture.
Research has shown that the production of cultivated meat leads to a significant reduction of 90% in land use, 92% in overall climate impact, and 94% in air pollution when compared to traditional animal agriculture. Also, the sustainability movement has been gaining a lot of momentum in recent years, and this is a significant, and game-changing step forward for it.
The Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub (CARMA), or the new research centre, is set to run for seven years. Its primary goal is to investigate and create ways to grow cultured meat in larger quantities. Researchers will also investigate the production of sustainable palm oil, with a particular emphasis on precision fermentation. This project’s funding aims to assist the UK in becoming a leading producer of sustainable proteins.
The technique of precision fermentation involves using microbes, such as yeast, to create proteins that mimic the taste of common foods like eggs and cheese, which can be achieved without using animals in the process at all.
Cultivated meat production has a major benefit of being carried out in a controlled environment, which reduces the chances of contamination and allows for the development of specific nutritional properties. To meet the growing demand for meat, it’s important to explore sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternatives, with one of the most important, and primary focuses of research now being on cultivated meat.
Lab-grown meat has been under development for years and some companies have started producing a variety of lab-grown products for the market, though more research is needed to confirm that the process can be expanded to a larger scale and is financially feasible. CARMA has been established to promote further research in this field and will be crucial in creating sustainable options for agriculture that differ from and improve on traditional methods.
The University of Bath is leading the funding for CARMA, which is mainly provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), a division of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The research will receive assistance from experts of other universities including University of Birmingham, the University of Aberystwyth, University College London, and the Royal Agricultural University.
The UK Government’s investment in the Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub is a crucial move towards the progress of sustainable protein and cultivated meat production. The new facility will conduct research to discover innovative solutions that will benefit the environment and promote animal welfare.
In addition, producing meat in a controlled environment provides a sustainable option that can greatly decrease the environmental effects of conventional animal agriculture, with the research centre emphasising precision fermentation. This helps aiding in the address of the rising demand for meat, while also seeking sustainable solutions.
The development of new products and processes will be instrumental in the UK’s journey in becoming an environmental leader in the protein industry.
News Credits: UK government invests £12m in sustainable protein hub
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