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Precision fermentation start-ups found Food Fermentation Europe alliance

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2 min read
AUTHOR: Fiona Holland
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Several leading precision fermentation start-ups have launched the Food Fermentation Europe (FFE) alliance, to help more companies working in the sector navigate and secure regulatory novel foods approval from the EU and get their fermented products onto the European market.

The FFE group founders include Finland’s Onego Bio, Berlin’s Formo, Better Dairy from the UK, Israel’s Imagindairy, and Belgium’s Those Vegan Cowboys.

Last month, Imagindairy and Onego Bio also joined a selection of other start-ups to create a new US-based trade association called the Precision Fermentation Alliance.

According to its website, the alliance aims to raise awareness of the benefits of precision fermentation and develop a “forward-looking policy framework” for foods and ingredients made with this technology in the European region.

It also hopes to act as a hub of knowledge around the subject of precision fermentation, informing policymakers on the vital nature of the sector and working alongside stakeholders to enable the EU to transition towards a more sustainable food system.

The FFE is also calling for the creation of a “predictable, non-discriminatory and market-based regulatory framework” for fermentation products, allowing for fairer competition with other players in the market.

The announcement of FFE’s formation comes at a time when the EU has announced its plans to create a new ‘Sustainable Food Systems Framework’, which aims to make food production and consumption more sustainable across the bloc.

Jevan Nagarajah, CEO of Better Dairy, said in a LinkedIn statement: “Precision Fermentation is a powerful means to creating a resilient food system,  and our alliance is ready to engage with the stakeholder ecosystem on much needed policy changes and attitudes towards fermentation technology.”

Those Vegan Cowboys also commented on the alliance in a statement on the social networking platform: “Thrilled to work even more closely together from now on, making real dairy without the cow happen ASAP.

“And it’s not just about the cheese. Fermentation makes for better farming, too. Because if we’re smart about fermentation, 8 billion people can eat well, off just 40% of the farmland in use today. Circular, organic, plant-based and in balance.

“Freeing the animal from our food system relieves our farmers from the societal burdens they’ve come to bear – they can reclaim their role as true herders of the land. The faster we can make this happen, the better, and this alliance will definitely make a difference.”

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