Food Fermentation Europe launches, calling on EU to speed up in global race on sustainable food innovation
With Europe in the midst of severe drought and food security at risk again, it is clear that a more resilient and sustainable food production system is needed. Precision Fermentation is a key technology to enable this. Leading precision fermentation players have come together to establish a new alliance, Food Fermentation Europe (FFE). FFE will work towards a forward looking regulatory environment that can help bring more sustainable animal-free foods and ingredients to the European market and enable a resilient and sustainable food system in Europe.
Better Dairy, Formo, Imagindairy, Onego Bio and Those Vegan Cowboys have joined forces to establish Food Fermentation Europe.
Precision Fermentation as key to a sustainable food framework
FFE’s founding members use the centuries-old technique of fermentation, evolved to a high-tech form called precision fermentation, to produce specific animal-free products such as proteins or fats leading to high quality alternatives for milk, eggs, cheese and other products. The technology, already used for decades in enzyme and additive production, has the potential to deliver a major positive impact on emissions, biodiversity, land and water use. Our food production technologies - all developed in Europe - can help to mitigate the climate crisis Europe is witnessing.
Cupcake made with Onego Bio’s animal-free egg white Bioalbumen®. The ingredient is bio-identical to ovalbumin, the primary protein in egg white, so it provides all the same functionality and nutrition without the environmental, ethical and safety-related concerns of eggs from chickens.
Opportunity for Europe to step up on sustainable food innovation
This alliance forms at a time when:
The EU is looking to develop a new Sustainable Food Systems Framework for how we produce and consume food in Europe.
Demand for tasty and nutritious animal-free, sustainable foods options is rising rapidly among people.
Despite this, the policy objectives of the Green New Deal and the regulatory process for Novel Foods (which includes food made via precision fermentation) are not aligned.
The current regulatory processes are far too lengthy and opaque and changes are urgently needed to facilitate market access.
It’s clear that the EU needs to enable innovative solutions to come to market sooner rather than later, or risks falling behind in the global race on sustainable food innovation.
Towards a new blend of the EU food system
Food Fermentation Europe’s vision is a new blend within the EU’s food system, which combines sustainable tradition and technology. FFE looks forward to working with policymakers and stakeholders to create the right market and regulatory conditions to embrace fermentation as one of the most sustainable pathways for the agri-food sector, secure the EU’s competitiveness in food innovation and create a sustainable food framework which is aligned with the Green New Deal.
Maija Itkonen, CEO & Co-Founder of Onego Bio: "As Food Fermentation Europe we will advocate for a predictable and more efficient market approval process. Regulations and policies need to be aligned with the legislative framework for Sustainable Food Systems if Europe wants to stay globally competitive with regard to sustainable food innovation. The members of Food Fermentation Europe all have excellent science-based products with high market traction and great sustainable impact potential. Contrary to the assumption of the EU, we are well funded and know how to make money out of science. The question is, how can the EU improve its market approval process for sustainable food innovation?”
Whats next:
Food Fermentation Europe will hold its launch event this summer in Brussels. Other companies across the fermentation sector are encouraged to reach out to the alliance. To keep track of all developments, visit the website: www.foodfermentation.eu
About Food Fermentation Europe
Food Fermentation Europe is the industry alliance representing the transformative fermentation food and food ingredient sector. Founded by Better Dairy, Formo, Imagindairy, Onego Bio and Those Vegan Cowboys, our alliance works to raise awareness and build a supportive, forward-looking policy framework to enable the rollout of innovative fermentation technology and products in Europe. We are committed to working with additional stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition to more sustainable food systems. To keep track of the alliance, visit our website at: foodfermentation.eu
About Onego Bio
Onego Bio is a Helsinki based food-biotech company producing animal-free egg proteins with precision fermentation. The company is using a unique Trichoderma reesei technology, based on the spinoff from the VTT Technical Research Center of Finland. Egg, the world’s most popular functional protein, is difficult to replace with alternative ingredients and the market is currently in heavy turbulence due to avian flu. Onego Bio’s ingredient Bioalbumen® is bio-identical to ovalbumin, the primary protein in egg white, so it provides the same functionality and nutrition without the environmental, ethical and safety-related concerns of eggs from chickens. Based on the anticipatory LCA published in Nature Food, Onego Bio’s technology shows potential to significantly reduce most agriculture-associated impacts, with 10 times higher resource efficiency and up to 90% lower environmental footprint, providing significant benefits to the climate, biodiversity, global health and food security.