OCEANIUM has been awarded a new Innovate UK Smart Grant which will enable the development of protein extraction work from sustainably sourced seaweed including brown seaweeds and, in an OCEANIUM first, we’ll also be looking at green seaweed species.
The demand for plant-based food ingredients is growing. With a CAGR of 15.3% from 2021 to 2030, the market is estimated to reach $12.3bn by 2030.1
Food systems are under increasing pressure from climate change. The Global Center for Adaptation estimates that in Africa around 30% of all the maize growing areas and 50% of bean growing areas will go out of production on the current emissions trajectory2, which is why alternative proteins that come from diverse sources can contribute to healthy, varied and nutritious diets are an imperative. By developing our protein extraction from brown seaweeds and by exploring protein content and extraction in green seaweeds in far more detail, our goal is to see seaweed-derived protein contributing to systemic change in the food system.
We’re excited to take our protein R&D to the next stage and look forward to reporting on our progress.
1Plant-based Food Ingredients Market by Type, Application: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030.