£17.4 million funding for Better Food for All
Through the Innovate UK Better Food for All competition, 47 winning projects will each receive a share of £17.4 million to improve food quality, create functional foods, boost nutrition, develop new proteins, and extend the shelf life of healthy and fresh foods.
The growing issue of diet-related diseases is causing higher healthcare costs due to more people being affected. Poor diet plays a major role, contributing to chronic diseases and a significant portion of cancer cases. Obesity rates are very high in the UK, with projected costs for the NHS at £9.7 billion by 2050 and society at nearly £50 billion annually.
The UK food industry has a chance to make a positive impact on this problem. By creating innovative products and solutions, it could both address these health challenges and generate substantial profits for companies in the sector.
The innovations being developed range from plant-based protein-packed fruit and vegetable smoothies to advanced packaging techniques that increase food shelf-life while reducing waste, as well as salt alternatives and drinks designed to improve gut health.
The winners
Below are those among the 47 winners.
Xampla
Xampla developed innovative vitamin D microencapsulation technology that enables fortification of soft drinks. With Britvic, Xampla will scale the manufacturing, enabling affordable and widespread vitamin D fortification.
Biopolymer Solutions Limited
Biopolymer Solutions Limited aims to advance the application of healthy, sustainable, UK grown, broad bean-based protein, for a range of plant-based food and meat alternatives.
Adamo Foods
Adamo Foods: ‘Mycoprotein’ (protein from fungi) is a healthier meat alternative with huge potential due to its exciting taste and texture qualities similar to meat. Adamo Foods and the University of Nottingham are working on intelligent ways to boost nutritional content even further.
By experimenting with the fungi’s naturally occurring processes during fermentation, they hope to further increase specific nutrients of interest for plant-based diets such as protein, vitamin B12 and iron.
Driving transformational change
Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology George Freeman MP said: “We are on the cusp of an innovation revolution in the agri-food sector set to herald not only a new era of sustainable low-chemical, low-carbon agriculture, but also a new era of health and wellbeing for our nation through better dietary interventions, gut health and nutraceutical treatments.
“Obesity, diabetes, and the other big cardio and metabolic disease place immense strain on our NHS. By harnessing the potential of agri-food and nutrition science we can reverse these trends, and tackle other huge challenges facing society today from climate change to feeding a growing global population.
“By continued investment in research and development, collaborating with industry leaders, and creating an environment where agri-food innovators can thrive, we will ensure that UK leadership in agri-food is at the forefront of our science superpower mission, to shape a brighter, more sustainable future for our nation.”
Dr Stella Peace, Executive Director for the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, said: “These projects showcase the extensive range and quality of innovation within the agri-food sector of the UK. With global challenges like food security, sustainability, and nutrition, creative solutions are needed to make a tangible impact.
“At Innovate UK, we are committed to driving transformational change in food production and manufacture to shape the future economy and society as a whole.”
