The Wageningen Alternative Protein Project, a student-led initiative, has launched a new podcast series on alternative protein and the technologies used to produce it.

This paper models the resource use of solar-powered single-cell protein (SCP) production and finds that SCP can produce 10 times more protein and double the calories per unit of land, compared to conventional crop production. SCP is any form of edible biomass from microbes such as algae, fungi or bacteria.

US-based startup BIOMILQ says it has produced the world’s first milk made from lab-cultured human mammary cells. The product, made by culturing human mammary cells in the laboratory, has a similar composition of “proteins, complex carbohydrates, fatty acids and other bioactive lipids” to breast milk. BIOMILQ stresses that its product is not identical to breastmilk, the composition of which can be influenced by hormones, baby behaviour, skin contact and so on. Furthermore, it does not contain the antibodies that breast milk does.

These three reports from the think-tank the Good Food Institute set out the global market landscape for three forms of alternative protein: cultivated, plant-based and fermented. The reports discuss retail trends, investments, science and technology developments, and government regulations.

This report from the World Resources Institute discusses how agriculture in Denmark can become carbon neutral, in line with the net zero commitments made by many Danish agricultural organisations. It stresses the need to continuously improve agricultural technologies by supporting cooperation between researchers, farmers and businesses.

This editorial in the Nature Food journal discusses the role that technology can and should play in reforming the food system. It argues that while technologies such as cultured meat, precision agriculture, drones and artificial intelligence are expected to contribute to sustainable food security in the future, technology often creates unexpected impacts that are hard to predict and that must be mitigated. Furthermore, it says, ethics and traditional knowledge systems are key to transforming the food system.

Public engagement ahead of the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit has so far produced over 1,200 ideas for transforming the food system. Ideas were put forward by farmer and producer groups, indigenous communities, civil society, academics, the private sector and UN Member States. Further ideas can be submitted until 1 May 2021.

This report from the US think tank The Breakthrough Institute argues that the US government should invest heavily in the development of alternative proteins, because of the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and negative health impacts associated with animal agriculture as well as drive economic growth.

This report from the University of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment explores the rapid growth of corporate involvement in the alternative proteins sector, and argues that corporate-led innovation can be a major contributor to emissions reductions.