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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Anthony WatsonORCiD, Dr Rebecca TownsendORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2025 The Author(s). Nutrition Bulletin published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Nutrition Foundation. Protein from animal sources significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, driving the need for sustainable alternative protein sources to meet global dietary demands while reducing environmental impact. This project explores microbial protein, derived through cellular agriculture using fermentation technology, as a viable, sustainable and high-quality protein for human consumption. This report describes a multidisciplinary approach to assessing the feasibility of incorporating microbial protein into human food systems, guided by four key objectives. First, a market analysis to identify opportunities and challenges for incorporating microbial protein into existing food products, assessing its potential to improve the protein quality of plant-based foods. Second, the project will evaluate the protein quality and digestibility of reformulated products using advanced models simulating human gastrointestinal processes. Third, consumer perceptions and barriers to adopting bacterial-based proteins will be investigated, addressing safety, health and sustainability concerns. Overall findings will inform the development of a technical document outlining actionable recommendations for commercialising microbial proteins as food ingredients. This multidisciplinary project aims to support the sustainable diversification of dietary protein sources, contributing to global efforts towards achieving sustainable food systems. The project is funded by the Start Healthy, Stay Healthy (STAR) Hub, a Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club (OIRC) which is funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Author(s): Watson AW, Townsend RF, Longshaw M
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Nutrition Bulletin
Year: 2025
Pages: Epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 17/09/2025
Acceptance date: 25/08/2025
Date deposited: 30/09/2025
ISSN (print): 1471-9827
ISSN (electronic): 1467-3010
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.70028
DOI: 10.1111/nbu.70028
Data Access Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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