$4.4million plant-based protein research partnership

GrainCorp has partnered with CSIRO and v2food on a $4.4million research project in the burgeoning plant-based protein market.

With funding received through the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Program, the partnership will help to develop Australian processing and manufacturing expertise in order to reduce reliance on imported ingredients and to add value to proteins from canola, soy and fava beans, and chickpeas.

Based on current demographic and consumer trends, CSIRO analysis estimates that the domestic and export opportunity for alternative proteins could reach $4.1 billion and $2.5 billion respectively by 2030.

GrainCorp Managing Director & CEO Robert Spurway said: “Our partnership aims to create a commercial plant protein supply chain that benefits Aussie growers and food and aquafeed manufacturers, as well as consumers.

“We’ll be able to access new export markets and meet growing domestic demand while creating jobs and informing future research and development into high-quality plant varieties.”

A key focus of the collaboration will be adding value to existing plant protein capabilities at GrainCorp’s oilseed processing site in Numurkah, Victoria.

CSIRO will bring its expertise in science, food technology, agronomy and genetics to the collaboration.

Professor Michelle Colgrave, who specialises in proteins research and leads the CSIRO Future Protein Mission, said the collective research power of the three organisations will push faster outcomes for Australia.

“We grow many plant crops in Australia but typically export these as commodities. If we can add value through product development, research and processing, we can export them at a higher price,” Prof Colgrave said.

v2food CEO Nick Hazell said the research supported a thriving Australian agricultural and value-added manufacturing sector.

“It is important for the sector to operate at scale, and with end-to-end domestic capability, which will create resilience and boost global competitiveness,” he said.

“We are assessing options across the plant protein spectrum, including in soy protein, to potentially replace imported soy protein concentrate with locally produced production and processing.”

The research project is expected to culminate in 2023 following a staged approach to process development, pilot-scale protein fractionation, sensory evaluation and product application.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Dusan Kostic