Tetra Pak, alongside Sweden’s Lund College, introduced the opening of a brand new analysis hub aimed toward advancing innovation in bioprocessing applied sciences. At Biotech Heights, the 2 group will discover methods to create sustainable meals and supplies from residing cells or cell elements. Working alongside a number of colleges on the college, the corporate desires to deal with the challenges dealing with producers and types – from advertising methods to client notion and technical obstacles.
A Tetra Pak spokesperson instructed us: “In line with the World Sources Institute, we’d like the equal of 56% extra crop energy in an effort to feed the undertaking 10 billion world inhabitants in 2050. Nevertheless, with solely seven harvest seasons left to realize the UN Sustainable Improvement Targets, growing the pressure on our agricultural system just isn’t a sustainable, or real looking, resolution.
“Various proteins present an avenue for the monumental problem of assembly the inhabitants’s wants, as they don’t rely as closely on agriculture and are extra environment friendly than many conventional meals sources.”
“Bioprocessing-derived proteins, similar to biomass and precision fermentation meals, can be utilized to create a mess of various meals and beverage merchandise. They’re among the many most fun various protein classes, with the potential to essentially achieve traction in meals manufacturing.”
Deriving dairy-identical proteins by means of precision fermentation to create milk with out cows has been one of the vital dynamic areas of funding and innovation within the dairy {industry}. In line with Analysis and Markets, the worldwide precision fermentation is projected to develop at a CAGR of 40.9% and attain a valuation of greater than $73bn by 2032. Dairy {industry} majors from Nestlé to the Bel Group are actively exploring the creation of superior proteins to what plant-based alternate options can provide.
Biotech Heights will set up an open innovation surroundings, through which the organizations can have entry to laboratories and tools for each industrial and tutorial functions. “Lund College has superior lab tools and check amenities. Tetra Pak has superior product growth centres. These amenities complement one another and construct the bottom for Biotech Heights,” the Tetra Pak spokesperson defined. “Collectively, we are able to help analysis, by way of lab and pilot scale, to industrial scale. This represents the shared ambition of Tetra Pak and Lund College to offer a world main centre for bioprocessing.”
Tetra Pak has a decades-long partnership with the college, and lots of the firm’s executives are Lund College graduates. “We now have a protracted historical past of collaboration in lots of disciplines and throughout many colleges of the college,” the spokesperson stated. “Subsequently, we knew first-hand of the wonderful high quality of the analysis finished on the College and the world-class amenities accessible throughout the campus. We consider that the mixture of the College’s superior analysis in lots of disciplines and Tetra Pak’s intensive industrial scale and buyer base is an excellent combine.”
The hub’s location in North Europe – a area that has earned the moniker ‘Sillicon Valley of Meals’ as a result of it’s dwelling to many meals analysis establishments, start-ups and industrial-scale R&D amenities – makes it well-suited for fostering cross-industry collaborations. “There are lots of actors all throughout the collaboration chain on this area, and we goal for Biotech Heights to behave as a hub that brings a lot of them collectively to seek out frequent options,” the spokesperson added.
Tetra Pak additionally has a detailed collaboration with Max IV, Sweden’s nationwide synchrotron radiation facility, and the European Spallation Supply ERIC, a multi-disciplinary analysis facility below building; each are based mostly in Lund. “Whereas these are usually not a part of Biotech Heights, we are able to leverage these collaborations to additional improve the work undertaken within the hub,” the Tetra Pak consultant defined.
The corporate’s foremost focus for this undertaking could also be meals manufacturing, however packaging innovation may also be explored, we have been instructed. “Bioprocessing additionally has potential functions within the packaging supplies area,” the spokesperson stated. “Analysis may discover new bioprocessing-derived materials that may be helpful sooner or later to additional enhance packaging sustainability.”
This isn’t the one current foray in various protein innovation for Tetra Pak. In 2022, the Swedish packaging and meals processing large partnered with Mycorena to provide mycoprotein-based ingredient for meat alternate options. The transfer shaped a part of Tetra Pak’s long-term technique “to deal with the challenges round meals security and safety by means of the exploration and development of progressive meals sources”. Talking to FoodNavigator Europe, an organization spokesperson stated: “Whereas this can be Tetra Pak’s first greenfield plant throughout the new meals fermentation class, it has been investing within the growth of this expertise – together with biomass to precision fermentation.”
