Precision Fermentation Leaders In Europe Form A Coalition To Advance Regulatory Approval

European precision fermentation companies form the Food Fermentation Europe (FFE) alliance and call for speedy regulatory approval.

The FFE aims to promote precision fermentation as a sustainable food framework. Founding members include Better Dairy, Formo, Imagindairy, Onego Bio, and Those Vegan Cowboys.

According to Christian Poppe, the FFE spokesperson and global public affairs director with Formo, the demand for animal-free alternatives to animal products is rising rapidly. To meet this demand, FFE members are working on solutions like animal-free dairy, cheese, and eggs.

‘A critical time’

“We are forming now because it’s a critical time in terms of precision fermentation market development and for sustainable agri-food systems,” Poppe told FoodIngredientsFirst.

“Demand for alternatives to animal products is rising rapidly and our solutions like animal-free dairy, cheese and eggs are getting ready to come to market and launching in other parts of the world.”

The FFE’s primary objective is to push for change in the current EU regulatory process.

“Firstly,” Poppe says the alliance’s focus is to “raise awareness and build a supportive, forward-looking policy framework for fermentation food and food ingredients in Europe.” 

Secondly, FFE will advocate for “a predictable, non-discriminatory and market-based regulatory framework for fermentation food and food ingredients,” with the goal to enable fair competition among market players.

FFE will also act as a center of expertise “to inform policymakers and stakeholders about the sector’s importance and work in partnership with stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition to more sustainable food systems,” Poppe said.

Fermentation sustainability

The alliance believes that the current process is outdated and sluggish, hindering the efficient roll-out of precision fermentation products. Furthermore, the E.U. aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, and innovative solutions like precision fermentation must be given a fair chance at market access to achieve this goal, the group says.

The FFE believes that a framework with environmental and sustainability goals at its core is essential. It says precision fermentation has the potential to deliver nutritious food with tangible environmental benefits and economic growth potential. Precision fermentation can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water use, and eliminate animal farming-related public health risks.

The FFE formation follows the launch of the Precision Fermentation Alliance announced in the U.S. earlier this year. Its members include Perfect Day, Remilk, Change Foods, The EVERY Co, Helania, Motif Foodworks, New Culture, and FFE members Onego Bio and Imagindairy.

The launch follows a study commissioned by Perfect Day and Cargill, that found consumer perceptions toward new food technology innovations are shifting, with 77 percent saying they’re likely to purchase products made with ingredients produced via precision fermentation.