Meeting growing protein demand, efficiently
Plucking out new paths to protein
Biology helps produce more protein using less resources while meeting the world’s growing nutritional requirements
With global protein demand set to double by 2050, how do we produce enough of this essential nutrient while using less resources? Current methods, from livestock farming to growing protein-rich crops, demand significant land, water, and energy. This challenge is driving innovative thinking in protein production.
While protein producers strive to make traditional sources more efficient, new sources are emerging that could transform how we think about and make protein. The results are already coming into view – and they have potential to make a big impact on our food systems.
By enhancing biological processes that help plants create protein and animals convert feed, we can produce more protein while using less land. Biosolutions already help farmers get more from every acre: natural feed additives help livestock convert feed more efficiently, while bio-based crop treatments boost protein yields in the same footprint. This means we can meet growing protein demand without expanding farmland, protecting our ecosystems while boosting farmers’ productivity.
Find out how healthier animal feed leads to more efficient protein production.
A promising transformation in protein science is expanding our horizons beyond traditional sources. Through advanced fermentation and bioprocessing, we're uncovering ways to create protein-rich ingredients from diverse sources like plants, fungi and algae.
These innovative proteins do more than just diversify our food system – they're opening new possibilities for food makers while using significantly less land and water than conventional protein production. The result: exciting food choices for consumers and a lighter environmental footprint.
Discover how we are working to turn CO2 into protein for food.
Precision fermentation puts microscopic organisms to work creating essential nutrients with remarkable efficiency. By guiding these microbes, we can produce targeted proteins while using just a fraction of the land, water, and energy needed for traditional protein production.
The numbers say it best: if just 10% of global protein came from fermentation, we'd save 900,000 km² of farmland – half the size of EU agriculture – and prevent 700 million tons of CO2 emissions. It's a scalable solution that taps into biology's own processes to meet tomorrow's protein needs.
Biorefineries show us how to get more from every raw material. Take corn, for example: through bioprocessing, different parts of the same kernel can become both biofuel and nutritious animal feed. Nothing goes to waste. These biological processes help create multiple valuable products from a single source, making our food system more efficient while using fewer resources.
The biosolutions are here and adaptable at scale. By working together, we can transform how we produce protein, creating a more efficient system that meets growing demand without compromising our planet’s resources.
Explore more on how biosolutions are helping nourish a growing world.
Want to explore groundbreaking cases where biology is already transforming our food systems?