GFI is funding research to develop alt protein ingredients from Brazilian plant species

In Brazil, Good Food Institute Brazil’s Biomas Project will allocate up to $27,500 (R$135,000) to each research project that transforms native Amazon and Cerrado plant species, such as babaçu and macaúba, into raw materials for the alternative protein industry. The deadline to apply is July 13.

In Brazil, a new species of fauna and flora is discovered every three days. With such an abundance of biodiversity, Brazil’s native plant species hold great potential to both sustainably enhance alternative protein products and boost local economic development.

To realize this potential, GFI Brazil launched The Biomas Project, a program to fund exploratory research with the potential to transform plant products native to the Amazon and Cerrado biomes into food ingredients that the alternative protein industry needs. With an investment of up to R$135,000 per project, the funding will be directed toward studies that focus on the investigation of four Amazonian species (babaçu, guaraná, cupuaçu and Brazil nuts) and three from the Cerrado (baru, macaúba, and pequi).

Key potential research themes for The Biomas Project include identifying uses for industrial or agribusiness residues or byproducts and developing and optimizing processes to obtain ingredients through ecological methods. Additionally, research could focus on developing  ingredients for plant-based product applications that improve the sensory characteristics of appearance, color, flavor, and texture, promote an increase in nutritional aspects, reduce the final product cost, and develop products with clean label appeal.

Interested researchers must submit their applications by July 13, 2021, at 10 p.m. Brasília time. The projects must be completed within 12 months, and must be developed in Brazil.