Alfa Laval has announced its support for a new transatlantic biosolutions initiative aimed at advancing sustainable food innovation, which brings together Denmark’s Technical Institute (DTI) and North Carolina State University (NCSU) in the US.
The initiative seeks to ‘join two of the world’s strongest innovation ecosystems to develop biosolutions for food’, and unlock the full potential of bioprocessing, Alfa Laval said in a statement.
‘A new level’
“Bioprocessing builds on the use of fermentation, which has been used to make food for thousands of years,” commented Johan Agrell, strategic business development manager for Alfa Laval’s Food & Water Division. “Now, with precision fermentation and biomass fermentation, we are taking it to a new level where we can produce protein as a food ingredient with a dramatically reduced climate footprint.”
The goal of the initiative is to develop nutritious and functional foods that address noncommunicable diseases, combat malnutrition, and reduce environmental impacts, leveraging precision and biomass fermentation to develop proteins and other food ingredients that boast a significantly lower carbon footprint.
The announcement follows on from Alfa Laval’s recent launch of a new Food Application & Innovation Centre in Copenhagen.
Green transition
“The general idea is making a connection between two strong ecosystems. Denmark is a frontrunner in terms of the green transition, with a strong connection to agriculture, plant-based food solutions and biotechnology, while North Carolina is a leading biotechnology hub in the States,” Agrell added.
“Here at Alfa Laval, we are proud to be part of Denmark’s drive to find green solutions and we are happy to see that the collaboration is off to a good start.”
Alfa Laval, founded 140 years ago and headquartered in Sweden, has had a presence in the US since 1878. Overall, the company employs some 22,300 people across 100 countries and reported annual sales of SEK 66.9 billion (€5.8 billion) in 2024. Its Alfa Laval site in Copenhagen is already home to the Alfa Laval Innovation House, which offers facilities and expertise for sustainability-focused startups. Read more here.
