Future food: crafting next-gen dairy products

Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) is planning to develop next-generation milk, cheese and yoghurt ingredients using precision fermentation.

A team led by Associate Professor Esteban Marcellin from The University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) will work with industry partner All G Foods developing ‘nature-identical’ proteins for dairy ingredients and products.

FaBA Director Dr Chris Downs said the four-year project represents the future of food and beverage manufacturing. Nature-identical dairy proteins allow scientists to replicate the ingredients of foods, providing an opportunity to add value to food and beverage products and position Australia as a global leader in an emerging area.

“FaBA is delighted to be working with industry partners to develop ingredients and products that will make their way into pantries and fridges across Australia and be exported to major international markets,” Downs said.

Jan Pacas, CEO of All G Foods, said the FaBA project would develop high-value dairy ingredients such as Lactoferrin, as well as products that consumers expect.

The precision fermentation process is anticipated to yield highly efficient microbial strains capable of producing nature-identical dairy proteins, which can be used to craft dairy products that mirror the functionality of traditional dairy.

“This technology offers Australia a unique market opportunity in an emerging industry with the potential for a substantial commercial impact, especially the ability to supply the Asia–Pacific region,” Pacas said.

According to Downs, this project will be the first of many to be supported by FaBA, which has $50 million in federal investment and an additional $100 million being secured from industry and research participants.

“To allow the industry-led Food and Beverage Accelerator to address the challenges businesses face today, we need to listen and respond so we can help build the industry of tomorrow,” Downs said.

FaBA is hosted by The University of Queensland, with university partners QUT and the University of Southern Queensland.

It is supported by the Australian Government Department of Education through the Trailblazer Universities Program.

Image credit: All G Foods