Scientists at the University of Sheffield are using evolution and artificial intelligence to speed up bio-based protein development. The work centers on precision fermentation and biomanufacturing.
Prof Tuck Seng Wong leads the effort. He is chair of biomanufacturing at the university and deputy co-director of the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC). He said the goal is to harness natural biological solutions and make them scalable and economically viable.
The team applies selective pressure in automated fermenters. Pressures include heat, alternative carbon sources and inhibitors. The method reveals which microbial strains are best suited to making bio-based food ingredients at scale.
The researchers are developing strains that produce dairy proteins and animal fats. These bio-ingredients would not rely on livestock or carbon-intensive farming. Wong said the microbes receive specific genetic instructions rather than ferment freely.
According to the team, AI-driven automation can cut the screening of millions of microbial candidates from years to days.
The group is also working on Rubisco, the most abundant protein on Earth. Extracting it at industrial volumes has been difficult for decades. The Sheffield team has developed a way to recover this bio-based protein from crop leaves and farm waste.
Wong links this to the need for more diverse biological resources. Rice, maize and wheat supply nearly 60% of plant-derived calories worldwide, despite thousands of edible species.
Wong pointed to hunger and malnutrition in some regions and rising obesity in wealthier nations. Within the university’s Institute for Sustainable Food, his team works with behavioral psychologists, economists and nutritionists.
Partners include Unilever, Mars and the startup FibreFolks, which is developing a high-protein, high-fibre fermented flour. Together they are building a supply chain to bring bio-based proteins to supermarket shelves.
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