Gourmey Submits Application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand for Approval of Cultivated Duck
French startup Gourmey has submitted an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), seeking regulatory approval for its cultivated duck. If approved, the cultivated duck will be mixed with other authorized ingredients to create products such as foie gras and duck pâté. It will be used at an inclusion rate of 5% to 80% by weight of the finished food. The application will be assessed as a General (Level …
Report: Government Support Could Make Australia a Leader in Food Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing
A new report has urged the Australian government to take advantage of the “once in a generation” opportunity to build sovereign capability in food biotechnology and biomanufacturing. Called Made & Grown – The future of food biotechnology & biomanufacturing in Australia, the white paper has been produced through a collaboration between Cellular Agriculture Australia (CAA), ANU Agrifood Innovation Institute (AFII), Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and the ANU National Security …
$18M Upgrade Transforms QUT Plant Into “Australia’s Leading Pilot-Scale Fermentation Facility”
The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has launched an $18 million upgrade to its Mackay-based QUT Pioneer BioPilot. According to the university, this will transform the plant into Australia’s leading pilot-scale fermentation facility. The upgrade was carried out with funding from the Australian and Queensland governments and completed in association with Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA). Companies will now be able to work with QUT researchers to develop new …
Magic Valley Leverages Pythag Tech’s AI to Advance Cost-Effective Cultivated Meat Manufacturing
Australian cultivated meat company Magic Valley has entered a strategic partnership with US-based technology firm Pythag Tech to integrate artificial intelligence into its production systems. The collaboration is intended to improve process efficiency, lower manufacturing costs, and shorten timelines for scaling up to commercial volumes. Paul Bevan, CEO of Magic Valley, said, “This partnership is a game-changer for our commercial roadmap. We’re using AI to unlock real-time precision, cut costs, …
Novella Partners With Metaphor Foods to Commercialize Preservatives Made With Plant Cell Cultivation
Israeli biotech startup Novella Innovative Technology has partnered with Australian functional ingredient innovator Metaphor Foods to commercialize natural, clean-label preservatives made using plant cell cultivation. Novella uses plant cells to create pure compounds using novel, precision-controlled environmental technology. The company’s AuraCell™ platform enables the growth of zero-waste bioactive compounds with a guaranteed consistency, reportedly reducing resource use by 99%. Through the collaboration, AuraCell™ technology will be used to create natural …
Eclipse Ingredients Emerges From Stealth, Raising $7M AUD for Human Lactoferrin Made With Precision Fermentation
Australian biotech startup Eclipse Ingredients (not to be confused with US-based alt-dairy brand Eclipse Foods) has emerged from stealth after raising $7 million AUD in funding. Eclipse Ingredients aims to provide widespread access to previously inaccessible health ingredients, starting with human lactoferrin — a protein found throughout the body, including in breast milk and immune cells. The startup will achieve this with precision fermentation technology, using engineered yeast to sustainably …
Cultivated Meat to Launch in Australia as Vow Receives Regulatory Approval
Cultivated meat is set to hit the Australian market for the first time after Sydney-based startup Vow received regulatory approval for its cultivated Japanese quail. Within weeks, the quail will be available at dozens of Australian venues, including NEL in Sydney and Bottarga in Melbourne. Additionally, chef and restaurateur Mike McEnearney will work with the brand to showcase the cultivated quail at his Sydney restaurant Kitchen by Mike, along with …
Australia’s Magic Valley Hosts Cultivated Meat Tasting at NSW Parliament
Australian cultivated meat producer Magic Valley has conducted an exclusive tasting of its lamb meatballs and pork dumplings at the Parliament of New South Wales. Members of Parliament were invited to the Rooftop Garden to sample the cultivated products, with Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Minister for Innovation Anoulack Chanthivong among the guests. “It was delicious,” said Alex Greenwich MP, Independent Member for Sydney. “This type of meat is guilt-free: no …
Vow’s Cultivated Quail Receives Approval From Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Australian cultivated meat company Vow is one step closer to launching cultivated quail in its home country after the product received approval from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). FSANZ completed a first round of statutory public consultation regarding the cultivated quail in February 2024, receiving 40 submissions and one late comment. After considering the feedback and reviewing the evidence, FSANZ undertook a second round of statutory public consultation between …
Australian Government Backs Magic Valley with $100K to Advance Cultivated Meat
Australian cultivated meat company Magic Valley has received a $100,000 grant from the federal government’s Industry Growth Program (IGP). The funding, part of a broader $400 million initiative, is intended to help startups expand into fully operational enterprises. Magic Valley is known for its animal component-free cultivated meat, produced using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This technology enables continuous cell growth without the use of fetal bovine serum, something that …