Tetra Pak, alongside Sweden’s Lund College, introduced the opening of a brand new analysis hub geared 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 handle the challenges dealing with producers and types – from advertising methods to shopper notion and technical obstacles.
A Tetra Pak spokesperson advised us: “Based on the World Assets Institute, we’d like the equal of 56% extra crop energy in an effort to feed the undertaking 10 billion international inhabitants in 2050. Nevertheless, with solely seven harvest seasons left to attain the UN Sustainable Growth Targets, growing the pressure on our agricultural system shouldn’t be a sustainable, or sensible, answer.
“Different 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, corresponding 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 actually achieve traction in meals manufacturing.”
Deriving dairy-identical proteins by precision fermentation to create milk with out cows has been one of the crucial dynamic areas of funding and innovation within the dairy {industry}. Based on 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 options can provide.
Biotech Heights will set up an open innovation surroundings, during which the organizations could have entry to laboratories and gear for each industrial and educational functions. “Lund College has superior lab gear and take a look at services. Tetra Pak has superior product improvement centres. These services complement one another and construct the bottom for Biotech Heights,” the Tetra Pak spokesperson defined. “Collectively, we are able to help analysis, through lab and pilot scale, to industrial scale. This represents the shared ambition of Tetra Pak and Lund College to supply a world main centre for bioprocessing.”
Tetra Pak has a decades-long partnership with the college, and most of the firm’s executives are Lund College graduates. “We have now a protracted historical past of collaboration in lots of disciplines and throughout many colleges of the college,” the spokesperson mentioned. “Subsequently, we knew first-hand of the superb high quality of the analysis performed on the College and the world-class services out there throughout the campus. We imagine 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 residence to many meals analysis establishments, start-ups and industrial-scale R&D services – makes it well-suited for fostering cross-industry collaborations. “There are a lot of actors all throughout the collaboration chain on this area, and we intention for Biotech Heights to behave as a hub that brings lots of them collectively to search out widespread options,” the spokesperson added.
Tetra Pak additionally has an in depth collaboration with Max IV, Sweden’s nationwide synchrotron radiation facility, and the European Spallation Supply ERIC, a multi-disciplinary analysis facility beneath building; each are based mostly in Lund. “Whereas these should 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 principal focus for this undertaking could also be meals manufacturing, however packaging innovation can even be explored, we had been advised. “Bioprocessing additionally has potential functions within the packaging supplies house,” the spokesperson mentioned. “Analysis may discover new bioprocessing-derived materials that may be helpful sooner or later to additional enhance packaging sustainability.”
This isn’t the one latest 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 options. The transfer fashioned a part of Tetra Pak’s long-term technique “to handle the challenges round meals security and safety by the exploration and development of modern meals sources”. Chatting with FoodNavigator Europe, an organization spokesperson mentioned: “Whereas this can be Tetra Pak’s first greenfield plant throughout the new meals fermentation class, it has been investing within the improvement of this expertise – together with biomass to precision fermentation.”
