New UK multimillion-pound project for lab-grown meat

While plant-based diets and meat substitutes have gained traction, they still represent only a small fraction of the market. However, a new £38 million (€44 million) initiative in the UK aims to change that by promoting the development and acceptance of alternative proteins sourced from insects, fungi, and lab-grown meat.

The initiative, led by the UK’s innovation agency UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has allocated £15 million (€17.4 million) to launch the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC). This new research hub will bring together scientists, businesses and farming groups to explore the potential of alternative proteins to improve health, support environmental sustainability, and enhance food security.

An additional £23 million (€26.6 million) has been secured from stakeholders across various sectors, making this a significant investment in the future of food.

An increasing population drives a need for alternative, sustainable foods

With the global population on the rise, the traditional methods of meat production are increasingly seen as unsustainable. Raising animals for food has been linked to deforestation, climate change and high water consumption, not to mention concerns about animal welfare and the health implications of processed meats. Alternative proteins, which require far less land and energy, offer a potentially promising solution to these challenges.

The scope of alternative proteins is broad, encompassing products derived from insects, fungi, algae, and even lab-grown meat. Despite the promise, the sector remains underdeveloped, with only 9 per cent of proteins sold in UK supermarkets coming from plant-based sources, according to WWF.

Furthermore, lab-grown meat has yet to receive approval for human consumption in the UK, although it has been given the green light in other countries such as Singapore and Israel.

Professor Anwesha Sarkar from Leeds University, who leads the NAPIC project, emphasises the goal of making alternative proteins a mainstream option. “We want to make alternative protein mainstream, for a really sustainable planet,” she said.

The project will focus on building evidence around the health benefits and potential risks of these new protein sources, as well as identifying and overcoming regulatory and market barriers.

This initiative could be transformative for the UK’s food industry, with the potential to create 25,000 jobs and generate £6.8 billion (€7.89 billion) annually by 2035, according to analysis by Green Alliance.

The EU’s stance on lab-grown meat

While the UK pushes forward, the European Union has been more cautious, with countries like Italy outright banning lab-grown meat. Meanwhile, UK start-ups are already experimenting with innovative approaches. For example, Better Dairy is using precision fermentation to brew milk proteins for cheese production, and Oxford’s Ivy Farm is working on cultivating meat from animal stem cells.

The rise of alternative proteins has not been without controversy. Some critics argue that many of these products fall under the category of “ultra-processed foods” (UPFs), which have been the subject of ongoing debate regarding their health implications. However, Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of the ZOE nutrition project, suggests that ultra-processed alternative proteins may be slightly healthier than their meat-based counterparts due to their higher fibre and nutrient content.

The success of this project will depend not only on scientific breakthroughs and market acceptance but also on government support and policy development. A government spokesperson reaffirmed the commitment to supporting a sustainable and healthy food system, noting, “Everyone should have access to a varied, healthy diet and make their own choices about what they eat.”

As the UK positions itself as a leader in the alternative protein industry, expatriates and locals may soon find themselves choosing between traditional meat products and their innovative, sustainable alternatives. The future of food could very well be on the cusp of a revolution