The Government supports the investigation of a possible new food industry to New Zealandbased on autochthonous microalgae rich in proteins and capable of absorbing carbon.
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Rachel Brooking has announced funding to help scientists and companies study which of hundreds of strains of microalgae might be suitable for inclusion in foods such as protein bars and shakes.
“We are strengthening the economy by investing in the building blocks of growth: skills, better infrastructure, and science and technology,” said Rachel Brooking in Nelson.
“Things are already looking up for our seafood sector after a difficult couple of years, with export earnings up around 8% this year to $2.1bn. But we have to keep building for tomorrow. If we want to have more jobs and earn more money while protecting the environment, we have to find ways to do things differently.”
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Global demand for food is projected to increase 60% by 2050, and food security is threatened by issues such as climate change, geopolitics, and pests and diseases.
“That’s why the prospect of developing microalgae as a food source is exciting,” said Rachel Brooking.
It is a low carbon protein that can be grown sustainably in bioreactors on dry land. They do not compete with other types of crops for arable land and they grow very fast, some doubling in size every day.
Microalgae have captured the attention of scientists around the world for their extraordinary properties and their potential to create an abundant, high-quality natural source of protein, using only a fraction of the water, land and time of other types of cultivation.
“And what’s more, the farming process captures carbon from the air and stores it, just what we need to keep climate change in check and meet our emissions reduction commitments.” Rachel Brooking said.
“If we want to have more jobs and earn more money while protecting the environment, we have to find ways to do things differently”
The government is earmarking $750,000 from its Sustainable Food and Fiber Futures fund for a $1.5 million project with the Cawthron Institute, marine engineering firm Kernohan Engineering and nutritional biotech start-up NewFish.
The money will be used to explore Cawthron’s collection of almost 600 strains of microalgae, as well as to collect new samples from rivers, lakes and the sea. NewFish will collaborate with Kernohan Engineering to select the best strains of microalgae and grow them on a commercial scale. The SFFF has invested nearly $560 million in 263 projects since its inception in late 2018.
