Authority will invest up to 50 million NIS in infrastructure to serve all foodtech companies
Israel Innovation Authority selects YDLabs to establish permanent microorganism fermentation labs for the foodtech industry
After an extensive evaluation of the foodtech industry's needs, particularly in alternative proteins, the Israel Innovation Authority has decided to initiate the establishment of infrastructure that will preserve – and significantly enhance – the strength of the foodtech ecosystem. YDLabs, the selected company, will establish a facility that will provide fermentation services to foodtech companies at varying scales, ranging from 10 liters to 20,000 liters, offering diverse services based on the current and future needs of the local foodtech industry, subject to predefined conditions set by the research committee. The company was founded a year ago by Ariel Blumovich and recruited one of Israel's renowned fermentation experts, Dr. Moti Rebhun, who also serves as the CEO of the Israel Fermentation Society.
YDLabs to establish microorganism fermentation labs for the foodtech industry
Israel Innovation Authority
“We are pleased to confirm the selection of YDLabs and look forward to seeing the Israeli ecosystem benefit from infrastructure and services provided for scaling production to enable economic feasibility assessment, regulatory preparedness, and more," said Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority. “Israel has identified the foodtech field as one of the areas to prioritize. Currently, due to the lack of infrastructure and workforce, many ventures turn to service providers abroad, which leads to early knowledge leakage and advancements in regulatory frameworks tailored for other countries. With this initiative, we aim to change that as soon as possible."
The field of alternative proteins has experienced significant growth in recent years and is expected to continue its high growth trajectory in the coming years. The main motivations driving and accelerating the development of technologies and products in this field primarily stem from concerns about environmental and climate impacts of increasing demand for animal-based and industrial agriculture-based food as part of the expected population growth, as well as concerns about food supply security and its impact on the climate crisis. To answer this need, there has been a significant growth of the alternative protein sector (including non-protein food components) using synthetic biology methods that employ engineered microorganisms as production systems (food coloring, structurally animal-like fats, enzymes for food production, flavor and aroma compounds, and more).
The field of alternative proteins can be divided into three main categories:
- Plant-based meat and dairy substitutes
- Cultured meat and dairy substitutes
- Proteins and various components derived from microorganisms through fermentation
Among these three categories, fermentation technology for food production is emerging as a highly promising market.
The established fermentation facility will include equipment, skilled human resources specialized in fermentation and food, services enabling fermentation at pilot and demo scales, separation and purification services, analytics, assistance in food regulation, and more. This will enable infrastructure customers from Israel and around the world to conduct fermentation at various volumes, conduct economic feasibility experiments, produce small-scale batches for potential customers, establish a regulatory dossier, and even create small trading batches. Taking a broader perspective, this will prevent brain drain and preserve the vast knowledge existing in Israel today, and encourage companies to move from the development stage to production, thus maintaining Israel's relative strength in the field of alternative proteins and fermentation.
Other news from the department business & finance
Get the food & beverage industry in your inbox
From now on, don't miss a thing: Our newsletter for the food & beverage sector brings you up to date every Tuesday and Thursday. The latest industry news, product highlights and innovations - compact and easy to understand in your inbox. Researched by us so you don't have to.
Most read news
More news from our other portals
Possible trigger of Crohn’s disease discovered
Dysfunctional mitochondria disrupt the gut microbiome
Cost-effective modular system for optical imaging from the 3D printer
Like building with Lego bricks
Something is happening in the food & beverage industry ...
This is what true pioneering spirit looks like: Plenty of innovative start-ups are bringing fresh ideas, lifeblood and entrepreneurial spirit to change tomorrow's world for the better. Immerse yourself in the world of these young companies and take the opportunity to get in touch with the founders.
Last viewed contents
Crop diversity is needed today for tomorrow’s food security and nutrition - Science can help mitigate, stem, and reverse loss of genetic diversity, for better productivity, resilience, and adaptive capacity in agriculture, a new study shows
New Spare Parts Shop from SIG Combibloc: order online any time
Brazil suspends beef exports to China due to 'mad cow' case
AMA Innovation Award 2019 for compact Plan B analyzer
Impossible Foods Launches Plant-based Chicken Nuggets
Quality assurance in small-scale enterprises - Quality assurance between artisanal and industrial production
Sonoco Consumer Products Europe GmbH - Hockenheim, Germany
Can coffee improve memory? - Findings suggest the efficacy of Trigonelline derived from coffee in preventing and improving age-related spatial learning memory impairment
