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 parts. Working alongside a number of schools on the college, the corporate desires to deal with the challenges dealing with producers and types – from advertising and marketing methods to client notion and technical obstacles.
A Tetra Pak spokesperson informed us: “In accordance with the World Assets Institute, we want the equal of 56% extra crop energy as a way to feed the undertaking 10 billion world inhabitants in 2050. Nevertheless, with solely seven harvest seasons left to attain the UN Sustainable Improvement Objectives, rising the pressure on our agricultural system shouldn’t be a sustainable, or sensible, resolution.
“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, akin to biomass and precision fermentation meals, can be utilized to create a large number of various meals and beverage merchandise. They’re among the many most enjoyable 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 dynamic areas of funding and innovation within the dairy {industry}. In accordance 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 options can provide.
Biotech Heights will set up an open innovation setting, through which the organizations could have entry to laboratories and tools for each business and tutorial functions. “Lund College has superior lab tools and take a look at 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 will 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 most of the firm’s executives are Lund College graduates. “We’ve got a protracted historical past of collaboration in lots of disciplines and throughout many schools of the college,” the spokesperson stated. “Due to this fact, we knew first-hand of the superb high quality of the analysis completed on the College and the world-class amenities obtainable throughout the campus. We consider that the mix of the College’s superior analysis in lots of disciplines and Tetra Pak’s in depth 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 lots of them collectively to seek out widespread 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 should not a part of Biotech Heights, we will leverage these collaborations to additional improve the work undertaken within the hub,” the Tetra Pak consultant defined.
The corporate’s major focus for this undertaking could also be meals manufacturing, however packaging innovation will even be explored, we have been informed. “Bioprocessing additionally has potential functions within the packaging supplies area,” the spokesperson stated. “Analysis might 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 supply mycoprotein-based ingredient for meat options. The transfer shaped a part of Tetra Pak’s long-term technique “to deal with the challenges round meals security and safety by the exploration and development of revolutionary meals sources”. Talking to FoodNavigator Europe, an organization spokesperson stated: “Whereas this can be Tetra Pak’s first greenfield plant inside the new meals fermentation class, it has been investing within the growth of this know-how – together with biomass to precision fermentation.”
