CSIRO maps out Australia's protein future

The CSIRO has released a roadmap outlining how the country could change its approach to supplying protein products to Australians in order to feed a growing population.

The ‘Protein: A roadmap for unlocking technology-led growth opportunities for Australia’ report introduces various measures that could be put into place to grow protein industries around the country to feed more people and create more jobs.

The report suggests that there are possibilities to introduce plant-based protein products, turn lower-quality meat cuts of red meat into protein powders, develop higher-protein and tastier legume crops, create a sustainable white-flesh fish industry and explore non-traditional forms of protein such as insects and lab-grown meat.

“As protein demand grows and new consumer trends emerge, solutions from science can help create new markets and complement our existing, globally competitive traditional markets. This will help shift Australia’s reputation from being the world’s food bowl of commodities to becoming a global delicatessen of unique higher value exports,” said CSIRO CEO Dr Larry Marshall.

“CSIRO’s Future Protein Mission recognises the scale of this challenge and brings together a wide network of partners with the latest innovative technology to seize this opportunity for a resilient and sustainable food system.

“We can supercharge growth in our traditional protein industries by harnessing technologies like digital traceability and integrity systems that enhance the premium status of Australian red meat, and grow new complementary protein markets through techniques like precision fermentation to generate a suite of new Australian products.”

The roadmap was developed in consultation with various state governments and peak industry bodies. Download the full report, along with its executive summary and some handy infographics: www.csiro.au/protein-roadmap.

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