A new collaboration between Denmark’s Technical Institute (DTI) and North Carolina State University (NCSU) aims to develop innovative biosolutions for the global food industry. The partnership was formalized with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed during the UN General Assembly and Climate Week NYC, supported by Alfa Laval, a leading company in the field of food processing technologies. The MOU connects two prominent global biosolutions hubs, Denmark and North Carolina, with the objective of creating functional foods that could help address noncommunicable diseases, malnutrition, and environmental challenges.
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On October 8, 2025, just two weeks after the MOU was signed, the collaboration took a significant step forward when Alfa Laval hosted a delegation of over 20 representatives from North Carolina’s biosolutions sector at its site in Copenhagen. The visitors, including members from academia and state decision-makers, spent a week in Denmark engaging with similar organizations and meeting with government officials.
Advancing bioprocessing with fermentation
The partnership builds on the complementary strengths of both regions. Denmark is recognized for its leadership in the green transition, with a strong focus on agriculture, plant-based foods, and biotechnology. North Carolina, meanwhile, is a major biotechnology hub in the United States. The collaboration seeks to leverage the expertise from both sides to advance bioprocessing techniques, particularly in the use of fermentation technologies such as precision fermentation and biomass fermentation.
“Bioprocessing builds on the use of fermentation, which has been used to make food for thousands of years. Now, with precision fermentation and biomass fermentation, we are taking it to a new level where we can produce protein as a food ingredient with a dramatically reduced climate footprint,” said Johan Agrell, Strategic Business Development Manager for Alfa Laval’s Food & Water Division.
The initiative also coincides with the announcement of Alfa Laval’s new Food Application & Innovation Centre in Copenhagen. The center is designed to support food producers in developing sustainable food products for industrial-scale production while minimizing their environmental impact. The collaboration between DTI and NCSU will focus on advancing bioprocessing and production methods that improve food nutrition, taste, and appeal.
Uniting Denmark and NC’s strengths
Agrell explained, “The general idea is making a connection between two strong ecosystems. Denmark is a frontrunner in terms of the green transition with a strong connection to agriculture, plant-based food solutions, and biotechnology, while North Carolina is a leading biotechnology hub in the United States. We are proud to be part of Denmark’s drive to find green solutions and are pleased to see the collaboration is already off to a good start.”
The partnership also leverages Alfa Laval’s Innovation House in Copenhagen, which offers resources and expertise for startups working on sustainable solutions. “This ethos fits exactly with the collaboration between DTI and NCSU, and we were delighted to showcase what we have already achieved. If we are going to find solutions to the big challenges in food security, we need to work together, and this is another step in the right direction,” Agrell concluded.
