UK Funds £1.4M FSA Innovation Hub

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The UK Food Standards Agency has secured £1.4 million to create an innovation hub focused on precision fermentation, potentially revolutionizing food production methods

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Funding from the Department of Science will help regulators balance innovation with consumer safety as this emerging technology enters the food system.

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Precision fermentation uses microorganisms like yeast to create specific food ingredients—a process already used for decades in making cheese rennet.

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Companies are now applying this technology to produce animal-free proteins, including dairy proteins identical to those from cows but without the animals.

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The FSA's new hub aims to boost scientific assessment capacity, provide clearer regulatory guidance, and support wider food innovation through enhanced oversight.

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The UK alternative protein market could potentially be worth over £6.8 billion annually and create 25,000 jobs by 2035, according to industry forecasts.

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Studies show precision fermentation milk proteins generate 72% fewer greenhouse gases, use 81% less water, and require 99% less farmland than conventional dairy.

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This initiative joins other FSA projects including support for food-grade recycled plastic, regulatory sandboxes for cell cultivation, and streamlined food inspections.

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