Biosolutions seminar series: Precision fermentation of novel food

This seminar will discuss precision fermentation of novel food, which is a catch-all term for large-scale fermentations that are designed to produce one or a few specific compounds.

Biosolutions is a multidisciplinary approach that seeks to solve complex problems and promote sustainable and efficient agriculture, industrial, food, and ingredient productions by leveraging biological processes or bio-based components. At the Green Solution Centre, we have established a collaboration across several disciplines where we focus on various scientific perspectives for biosolutions. In addition to natural science and technological perspectives, we will integrate legal, socio-economic, and humanistic perspectives in a series of seminars.

This seminar will discuss precision fermentation of novel food, which is a catch-all term for large-scale fermentations that are designed to produce one or a few specific compounds. With the help of genetically modified bacteria and fungi, precision fermentation has already been widely used in the pharmaceutical and industrial production of enzymes. In the future, it may be possible to produce key food nutrients to replace those that are traditionally derived from animals or plants and with a significant carbon footprint. The following are examples of specific compounds that could be of interest, such are specific proteins (e.g. whey protein and haemoglobin), essential vitamins (e.g. B12), or specific aroma compounds (e.g. hop aromas for beer).

The challenges for successful implementations of such novel production processes are manifold and cross-disciplinary. The following will be addressed:

1. Technological challenges (how do we increase the yield of the product; how do we purify the product etc.) with Henrik Siegumfeldt, Department of Food Science (UCPH FOOD)

2. Regulatory challenges, pitfalls, and possible tools to diminish the barriers, including sandboxes with Linda Nielsen, Faculty of Law

3. Economic challenges (is it economically viable to produce in this manner, or will it create other bottlenecks regarding raw materials) with Asger Mose Wingender, Department of Economics

4. Ethical challenges (how do we decide if the pros of these productions outweigh the cons, how do we address consumer acceptance of e.g., GMO) with Peter Sandøe, Department of Food and Resource Economics (IFRO)

The seminar is open to all interested, including researchers, industry professionals, and students.

Tilmeld dig her: https://greensolutions.ku.dk/events/precision-fermentationbiosolutions/sign-up/