The past few years have seen a boom of innovative companies looking to produce food ingredients using microbial fermentation instead of via traditional agricultural means, such as plant or animal farming. It can take months and years to grow the plants and animals that are the source of foods and ingredients used in modern food systems, yet microbes have the potential to double their biomass in a matter of hours and are capable of producing specific proteins while doing so.
Microbial fermentation has been used for years in the food industry to produce ingredients such as enzymes and in the biopharma industry. The transformative capability of microbial fermentation is deeply rooted in human history, with evidence showing humans have been leveraging fermentation for more than 5000 years.
Will fermentation, the oldest food processing technique, power the future of the food industry?
In this webinar, our experts answer questions like:
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- How does fermentation work?
- What are the different types of fermentation (e.g. traditional fermentation, precision fermentation, etc), and which ingredients or foods are each responsible for producing?
- What are the current challenges and opportunities in fermentation?
- How is fermentation science driving innovation in the food and beverage industry, and how might it become a much larger component of producing what we eat in the future?
Contributors:
Jacques Georis, PhD
Global RD&A Senior Director – Fermentation and AHN Technologies - Kerry
Dr. Jacques Georis is part the senior leadership team in charge of business strategy and ensuring its execution for Functional Ingredients Pillar (where BU Enzymes sits), being accountable for RD&A and R&SA functions. Additionally Jacques leads the R&D strategy for Global Fermentation R&D and the co-owner of Process Technology Fermentation Excellence Program within Kerry.
Melissa Sheridan, MSc
Marketing Director - Strata
Melissa Sheridan worked as Senior Marketing Director for Kerry’s Applied Health and Nutrition division, where she has responsibility for leading the global marketing strategy for a diverse portfolio of technologies, which create a healthier and more sustainable world.
Frank Delvigne, PhD
Professor in Microbial Biotechnology - University of Liège (ULg)
Frank Delvigne, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Bio-Industries at the University of Liège in Gembloux, Belgium. His research interests include bioreactor modelling, bioprocess scale-up and scale down, and microbial stress analysis. He also serves as Vice-Dean for Research and President of the Agro-Bio Tech Research Unit at the University of Liège.
