Cellulose Scaffolds Cut Growth Factor Costs Tenfold in Cultivated Whole-Cut Research
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a cellulose-based scaffold that reduces the quantity of growth factors needed to produce cultivated meat tissue by up to tenfold, according to a study published in Current Research in Food Science. Growth factors, the proteins that direct stem cells to proliferate and differentiate into muscle tissue, account for more than 95% of media costs in cultivated meat production and remain one …
GFI’s 2026 State of the Industry Reports Detail Mixed Year for Alternative Proteins Across All Three Sectors
The Good Food Institute (GFI) has published its 2026 State of the Industry report series, providing a comprehensive overview of the plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated meat sectors in 2025. The reports cover commercial activity, investment flows, scientific developments, and regulatory progress across each sector. While the funding environment tightened across all three categories in 2025, GFI’s analysis points to continued technical and commercial progress, with cost reductions, regulatory milestones, and …
New GFI Report Identifies Critical Skill Gaps in India’s Plant-Based and Cultivated Meat Value Chains
The Good Food Institute India (GFI India) has released a comprehensive analysis of India’s smart protein talent landscape, revealing a mismatch between the country’s educational output and the industry’s current and future workforce needs. Despite India producing nearly 250,000 graduates annually in relevant disciplines, the smart protein sector continues to face a shortage of job-ready, sector-specific talent, particularly in high-growth areas such as bioprocessing, cell culture, extrusion technologies, analytical methods, …
Analysis: Alternative Proteins Could Add €111B a Year to the EU’s Economy by 2040
A new analysis by systems change company Systemiq, supported by GFI Europe, has found that plant-based foods, cultivated meat, and fermentation could add €111 billion a year to the EU’s economy by 2040 if treated as a strategic priority. This is comparable to the GDP contribution of Europe’s wine sector. Furthermore, the industry could support 414,000 high-quality jobs in areas such as science, agriculture, and logistics, if given policy support …
EU Biotech Act Excludes Novel Foods From Regulatory Sandboxes in “Missed Opportunity”
The European Commission has published the new Biotech Act, which aims to boost the EU’s global competitiveness in biotechnology. The Act is mainly focused on the health sector, but also includes measures that could help commercialise the findings of European researchers working on techniques such as precision fermentation. Nonprofit think tank GFI Europe has welcomed parts of the Act, including plans to expand the advice regulators provide to innovators bringing …
Netherlands First EU Country to Approve Public Tastings of Fermentation-Based Foods
The Netherlands has become the first EU country to allow public tastings of novel foods produced through fermentation. This new policy applies to products made using precision and biomass fermentation techniques, including animal-free alternatives such as cheese, eggs, and fats. Under this policy, companies can host tasting events for these fermentation-based products prior to receiving full market authorization. The tastings will take place in controlled environments, with safety protocols in …
GFI Acquires SCiFi Foods’ Cell Lines, Joins Tufts to Fast-Track Cultivated Meat Research
The Good Food Institute (GFI) has acquired crucial cell lines and growth media from SCiFi Foods, a cultivated meat company that ceased operations in mid-2024. In partnership with Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA), GFI plans to make these resources publicly available for academic and industry research, a move expected to reduce costs and speed up development in the cultivated meat sector. The acquisition includes specific bovine cell lines …
Report Says European Alternative Protein Research Has Tripled Since 2020
A new analysis by GFI Europe has found that alternative protein research in Europe is growing at a rapid rate. Since 2020, the number of studies published and the levels of public funding received have almost tripled. Last year, 798 academic research papers were published examining plant-based foods, fermentation-made foods, and cultivated meat or ingredients; this figure is up 282% compared to 2020. Furthermore, public funding for the field expanded …
Research Says New Fermentation Methods Could Add Almost £10B to UK Economy by 2050
New research conducted by Systemiq, with support from GFI Europe, has estimated that innovative methods of producing food using fermentation could add £9.8 billion to the UK economy by 2050. However, this will only hold true if the right support is in place. The analysis modelled a range of scenarios to assess how fermentation techniques could fuel economic growth in the UK food and drink sector. It estimated the potential …
Seaweed-Based Growth Media Could Replace Traditional Cell Culture Media in Cultivated Meat Production
A new research project led by James Cook University (JCU) and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) is investigating the use of seaweed as a potential alternative to traditional cell culture media in the production of cultivated meat and seafood. This initiative seeks to address the challenges of sustainability, cost, and ethics in cellular agriculture by utilizing seaweed’s abundance and fast-growing nature. Turning seaweed into meat The project, named SeaToMeat …