The protein sector is at a crossroads. On the one hand, global demand for animal protein has never been so high. On the other hand, meat and dairy products already have a oversized hoof print on farmland around the world. And with the climate crisis devastating natural and agricultural resources, we know Earth’s ecosystems cannot sustain an expanded traditional agricultural sector.
Plant proteins have grown rapidly but are eclipsed by the size of the global meat protein market.
Enter cellular agriculture. Every day brings news of new venture capital funding, adding more than US$9.7 billion in global investments. Cellular agriculture encompasses a series of technologies and approaches that make food and other products normally derived from plants and animals, including: dairy protein, egg protein, chocolate, honey, red meat, poultry , seafood, leather, silk and ingredients including sweeteners and flavorings.
Meat and Dairy Alternatives
Cell farming first entered the public eye in 2013 when tissue engineering researcher Mark Post produced the first test-tube burger. This prototype cost hundreds of thousands of dollars but today, the same pancake can be made for around 10 euros, or $15. Over the past two years, dozens of businesses have sprung up in Singapore, Israel and California will develop consumer products nearly biologically identical to those traditionally derived from plants and animals.
Some products are already in restaurants and on supermarket shelves. The Cellular Farming Dairy Perfect Day brews dairy proteins in bioreactors using yeast, much like a craft brewer brews beer. One of the largest plant-based food companies, Impossible Foods, uses cell-derived soy heme in its signature burger. Their Whoppers are on sale at Burger King and they just raised another $500 million in investment capital to increase production. The food-tech startup Eat Just blend of cell-farmed chicken proteins with plant-based ingredients to create an analog of a chicken nugget.
Some current cell agriculture technologies involve animal-derived inputs such as stem cells and growth media. These products are not necessarily vegetarian, and therefore may not be universally accepted by consumers for cultural, religious or dietary reasons.
That said, there is enormous potential for reducing water consumption, energy use, land use and greenhouse gases. While the magnitude of the expected environmental benefits is debated, optimists are betting that carefully designed bioreactors using renewable energy will be more sustainable than many farming systems around the world.
The Canadian context
Canada is already an agrifood powerhouse. We export $62 billion worth of agri-food products annually—representing 12% of our total exports—and the sector employs more than 500,000 people.. Cellular agriculture offers us a chance to develop this economic position while strengthening national food security and helping to sustainably feed a growing population.
Ontario Genomics, along with researchers from the Institute of Food and Agriculture at the University of the Fraser Valley, prepared a report examine the potential role of cellular agriculture in Canada. The report shows that cellular agriculture could create up to $12.5 billion in food innovation opportunities for Canada, which would also create up to 142,000 new jobs.
To realize the potential of the cellular agriculture industry, we must support research and development, foster an entrepreneurial startup culture, and create transparent regulatory frameworks for new food production methods.
The Ontario Genomics report offers three recommendations to help this sector gain a foothold. First, we need a national vision and strategy for the Canadian cellular agriculture industry. To become a global leader, it is essential to have an intellectual base that can both encourage and support innovation.
Second, we must establish a clear and transparent regulatory framework for cellular agricultural products produced in Canada and abroad. This should build on existing regulatory processes by meeting the highest nutritional and food safety standards and promoting sustainable development.
Third, we must support research and commercial development mechanisms. Encouraging public-private partnerships, collaborating on public and private investments, developing infrastructure and supporting training will all be necessary.
Canadian Futures Contracts
A combination of public awareness and technological advancements in areas such as cellular agriculture has given us the opportunity to think about how we can improve our food systems.
As a country, we need to ask ourselves if we want to lead this change. If we don’t seize this opportunity, we will see others reap the benefits of innovation as we import cellular agriculture products rather than produce our own and increase Canada’s export position.
Bettina Hamelin, Elaine Corbett and Laura Riley of Ontario Genomics co-authored this article.
