The Good Food Institute APAC

Calling all alt protein researchers in APAC and beyond! The Good Food Institute is accepting grant proposals for projects lasting up to 24 months, with a funding cap of 250,000 USD per project. Additional funding is also available for research collaborations involving partners new to the field. Proposals must address one of two priority areas: 🌱 Priority A: Functionality from Fermentation: Ingredients for Plant-based Meats Identify and characterise fermentation-derived ingredients that enhance plant-based meat products and increase their adoption through improved taste, lowered cost, and nutritional benefits 🐟 Priority B: Pathways to Propel Cell Line Development Advance cell line development across terrestrial and aquatic species to bolster innovation and strengthen open-access research tools for the cultivated meat ecosystem 🔔 Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to advance alternative protein science! Applications close on 16 May 2025 at 12:00 AM SGT (GMT+8). More details in the GFI Research Grant Program RFP below and on our website: https://lnkd.in/ggkuxQyb 🇯🇵 RFP in Japanese: https://lnkd.in/gaPwfBSr 🇰🇷 RFP in Korean: https://lnkd.in/gJi85KsZ 👉 Looking for an overview of the grant programme, its focus areas, and the application process? Attend our information session on 8 April at 7:30 pm SGT. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gfYgFbQp

GFI APAC participates in the 55th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA 55) in Seoul, South Korea 👉 What is Codex? The Codex Alimentarius Commission, or Codex for short, is the body responsible for all matters regarding the implementation of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. 👉 What happened for alternative proteins? On the agenda was a proposal by Singapore and China for the CCFA to develop guidelines on the safety assessment of cell culture media for cultivated meat. Our very own Senior SciTech Analyst Dean Powell, Ph.D., took the stage for a presentation to outline the use and risk assessment of culture media. He also discussed the GFI APAC, Vireo Advisors, LLC, and Future Ready Food Safety Hub @ NTU (FRESH)-led project to develop a Safety-Assessed Media Ingredient (SAMI) framework, which aims to support the development of an internationally harmonised approach to evaluating the safety of cell culture media components. He then participated in a discussion hosted by the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) alongside fellow panelists from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), and Nanjing Agricultural University, to discuss how alignment on cultivated food management can benefit Codex member countries seeking to regulate and trade these products. 👉 What's next? The Committee agreed to form a working group to develop the proposal for further consideration next year, to be co-chaired by Singapore, China, the Republic of Korea, and Saudi Arabia—yet another signal to global regulators that our food systems are evolving, and so should the frameworks that govern them.

📢 Are you a journalist, startup, or nonprofit looking to tell the story of alt proteins while building consumer trust and improving perceptions? They say pictures are worth a thousand words, which is why GFI APAC has compiled a free-to-use media database featuring visually appealing, Asia-relevant images of plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated proteins. Whether you’re a communicator, entrepreneur, or advocate, using these photos will go a long way in inspiring public curiosity and confidence in the rapidly growing alt protein industry! 👉 Access the media database here: https://lnkd.in/gSxQfFNk 🤝 Interested in contributing to our media database? Reach out at https://lnkd.in/gPg62s8i 📷 Photo credits: Shiok Meats, KARANA Foods, Love Handle SG #alternativeproteins #altprotein #plantbased #cultivatedmeat #fermentation

🚀 Ready to advance your career in food innovation? Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), in collaboration with Bühler Group, presents a three-day Next-Generation Food Innovation course on extrusion and texture development for plant-based meat! 🌱 🔬 Learn about: ✅ Rheology & biopolymer chemistry ✅ High & low-moisture extrusion techniques ✅ Hands-on texture analysis & product formulation …and more! 📅 Course Dates: 23-25 July 2025 | Time: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM SGT Sessions will be conducted both virtually and in-person at SIT’s campus. 📌 Open to graduates & mid-career professionals - both Singaporeans and foreigners are welcome to apply. Spots are limited—register by 1 July 2025! 🔗 Secure your spot now: https://lnkd.in/gnjZa5qn Arif Nelson Juan D. Danping Wang Arin Naidu Wasamon Nutakul, PhD #alternativeproteins #plantbased #foodinnovation

JUST IN: Cultivated meat can be halal, says South Korea's largest Muslim organisation.🔥 🇰🇷 The Korean Muslim Federation’s Halal Committee has issued the world’s second fatwa in support of halal permissibility for cultivated meat, following a similar ruling in Singapore last year. "For the second time in as many years, Muslim authorities in Asia have concluded that cultivated meat can be halal, reflecting an emerging global consensus," says GFI APAC Managing Director Mirte Gosker. "We are confident that additional Islamic experts will reach a similar conclusion as cellular agriculture expands into new markets and makes sustainable protein accessible to every facet of society." In advance of last year's Singapore ruling, GFI APAC provided numerous technical presentations about the process of cultivating meat from animal cells. To build on this momentum, we are now engaging with halal authorities and experts in other countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia, to emphasise the need for cultivated meat to be examined for halal permissibility. 👉 More details from Green Queen Media: https://lnkd.in/esgx8yq6 Simple Planet Dominic Jeong Yeonjoo La Sam Lawrence Ankur Chaudhary

🇨🇳 China is moving swiftly to accelerate protein diversification at the national, provincial, and city levels. Our latest newsletter has all the details!

🐟 Working on cultivated seafood and want to connect with others in the field? Join Fish & CHIPS, an event series hosted by The Good Food Institute that provides cultivated seafood scientists and innovators an opportunity to get together in small groups and talk through the challenges they're facing. The next event will be on Wednesday, 26 March, at 10:30am SGT, where we’ll be discussing media optimisation, shellfish and cross-species translation, and non-scientific challenges, including funding. 👉 Learn more and register here: https://shorturl.at/HBRyv #cultivatedseafood #alternativeproteins #altproteins

NECTAR's Taste of the Industry 2025 report is now out! 🍽️ It reveals that 20 plant-based products were rated as "the same or better" than the animal product equivalent by at least 50% of taste-testers—including some available in APAC! Beyond price, taste and texture are key components to winning consumers over, so these results are promising signs that plant-based meat innovation is moving in the right direction.  👏 Check out some of the top findings from the report here: https://lnkd.in/es4P6kxe #alternativeproteins #altprotein #plantbased Jennifer Morton Divya Gandhi Jayaroopa Jeyabarathi

Our Operations team in Singapore just got even bigger and brighter! 🎉 Before joining GFI APAC, Michelle worked in human resources within the tech and energy transition consulting sectors. She also holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Kwik Kian Gie School of Business in Indonesia. In her new role, Michelle will focus on cultivating a thriving workplace culture while supporting our organisation's growth as we continue to reimagine and diversify Asia’s protein supply! Please join us in welcoming Michelle Vinnetan as our new People & Culture Specialist 👏 Victoria Law Mirte Gosker

From Forged Parfait to foie gras bagels: Singapore's alternative protein scene is on a roll 🍽️ 🇸🇬 Last year, Australian cultivated meat startup Vow made waves in the Lion City when they debuted their Forged Parfait, a light and creamy pâté made with cultivated quail. Now, the company is expanding its local offerings to include bagels topped with cultivated foie gras, which The Straits Times food critic says adds “a savoury, lightly gamey silkiness.” 👉 Full review from reporter Cherie Lok: https://lnkd.in/gFXsPc5C This latest creation is part of a broader shift towards innovative food solutions that have a lighter environmental footprint but don’t compromise on the taste, texture, and indulgent flavours consumers crave. Would you try a bagel with cultivated foie gras? Let us know in the comments!