The Australian National University (ANU) Agrifood Innovation Institute has partnered with not-for-profit organisation, Cellular Agriculture Australia (CAA), to bring the future of food to the nation’s capital. Made & Grown: The Future of Food will take place in Canberra on 21 August, spotlighting the biotechnologies shaping the Australian food system.
As the food system changes, innovation and necessity are driving an evolution of food production, in both new and traditional industries. Australia is well-placed to build on its agricultural reputation to leverage global demand for more protein, functional foods and innovative consumer products.
Through the application of biotechnologies like cell cultivation, precision fermentation, plant molecular farming and synthetic biology, Australia has the potential to capitalise on a multi-billion dollar opportunity and become a global biomanufacturing leader.
Cellular agriculture
Cellular agriculture uses cells and innovative technologies such as precision fermentation, cell-cultivation, gas fermentation and molecular farming to produce safe, accessible, ethical and sustainable agricultural products. The technology is most commonly used to make animal-derived foods that provide an alternative to farming animals for food.
The sector in Australia currently focuses on the use of cell cultivation and precision fermentation. Cell cultivation involves isolating and cultivating stem cells to make products such as meat, fat, seafood, leather and foie gras. Precision fermentation harnesses microorganisms, such as yeast, bacteria, and fungi, to produce specific ingredients that can be used in various food and agricultural products.
Source: Magic Valley
In September 2024, CAA released a report that shows Australia has the potential to become a global leader in the production of precision-fermented ingredients. However, a number of companies are facing major bottlenecks because of a severe lack of manufacturing infrastructure. With key investments, progress is slowly being made.
The Queensland government announced in October it was investing in biomanufacturer Cauldron Ferm’s precision fermentation contract manufacturing facility in Mackay, a region which also hosts the Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant (MRBPP), currently receiving a $3.9 million upgrade into a modern food-grade compliant facility.
Industry success
There are a few Australian companies that are leading the global charge for future food.
Sydney-based Vow is close to receiving Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) market approval for its cell-cultured quail meat as a novel food ingredient, a process that has taken over two years. The company was the third in the world to gain approval to sell cultured meat, launching its products in Singapore under consumer brand, Forged, in April 2024.
Nourish Ingredients is pulling ahead of the crowd, after completing a commercial production run of its precision-fermented plant-based fat, Tastilux, alongside Chinese partner, Cabio Biotech, in April. All G has also had success in China, receiving regulatory approval to sell precision fermentation lactoferrin in November 2024 – the first in the world to do so. The company is using synthetic biology and precision fermentation to produce bioequivalent, high-purity recombinant bovine lactoferrin that is structurally and functionally identical to natural bovine lactoferrin, but more sustainable at scale.
Source: Forged By Vow
Cultured meat start-up, Magic Valley, received a $100,000 government grant through the Industry Growth Program (IGP) in February, which will directly support the scaling up of its production capacity and refining processes to prepare for commercialisation. It was the first company globally to produce animal component-free cultivated lamb using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Made & Grown
Although Australian companies are already producing world-leading results with food biotechnology, the ability to grow the sector will depend on building familiarity and trust in the technologies, growing public and private investment, and the right policy environment.
Emerging biotechnologies can be applied across the food system to future-proof and build resilience, complementing and adding value to existing supply chains, and boosting the Australian economy.
Made & Grown will showcase these technologies to support legislators, policymakers, and regulators understanding of the applications and products that are changing how the country can produce food and shape a resilient food system.
A key theme running through the day will be how biotechnology and food production intersect with national security, by reducing supply chain vulnerabilities and dependency amidst growing geopolitical uncertainty and environmental threats.
The main sessions will include:
- The science and technology of Made & Grown – the opening session will set the scene for the conversations of the day, starting with an exploration of the evolving food system and opportunities for Australian farmers, founders and FMCG. This session will introduce participants to the technologies underpinning the future of the agrifood system, including precision fermentation, cell cultivation, molecular farming and synthetic biology. It will give a complete picture of the science, applications and progress towards commercialisation both globally and here in Australia.
- Grown: agriculture in the bioeconomy – biotechnology is already transforming traditional agricultural crops. This session will explore current innovations in crop biotechnology – in food, climate resilience and more – while keeping one eye to the future as new technologies emerge.
- Made: innovations in food biomanufacturing – cellular agriculture companies are already integrating across the food system to create new products or improve existing ones. This session will look at how Australian companies are reducing production costs, and increasing yield through innovations in advanced biomanufacturing and process design.
- Made & Grown: our opportunity – This session will explore the policy, research and financial settings required to realise Australia's regional advantage and build sovereign capability in food biomanufacturing and the bioeconomy.
The Made & Grown program is being designed by an advisory committee in conjunction with the cellular agriculture sector, to ensure high calibre, relevant and contemporary content. Speakers from CSIRO, Nourish Ingredients, CAA, ANU, Miruku, Cauldron, Main Sequence, Opo Bio, and GFI APAC have been confirmed, with more to be announced soon.
The main program will take place 9am-5pm 21 August, with networking opportunities from 5pm-6:30pm, at ANU, Canberra. Head to agrifood.anu.edu.au for more information and to register attendance.
