The Singapore Food Agency, under the second phase of its Singapore Food Story R&D programme, has awarded SGD 42 million (approx. $32.3 million) to 11 alt-protein and food-tech projects.

The projects were selected through two grant calls: Second Future Foods Grant Call, focusing on seeking innovative solutions to strengthen the nutrition and functionality of alternative proteins; and Food Safety Grant Call, supporting the development of non-animal New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for toxicological evaluation of food innovations.

Additional funding has also been awarded to the Centre for Precision Fermentation and Sustainability (PreFerS) to translate research outputs into market-ready solutions.

PreFerS is a research facility in Singapore, established by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Singapore’s National Research Foundation. This project aims to accelerate efficient and sustainable production of high-value ingredients like healthy lipids and functional proteins.

Among the projects to receive funding under the Future Foods Grant is a National University of Singapore (NUS)-led initiative to enhance the flavour, nutritional and functional properties of microalgae biomass for food applications.

Meanwhile, as part of the Food Safety Grant, a collaborative project from NUS, Umami Bioworks, Meatiply, Sciex, ID Labs and AIM Biotech has been awarded funding to support its work in developing a neurotoxicity assessment platform for evaluation of food safety risks posed by contaminants from cell-based and fermentation-derived foods.

Other projects to receive support span various research areas including allergenicity and immunotoxicity of precision fermentation proteins, and a toxicokinetic and safety platform for the evaluation of small-molecule additives in cultivated meat.

Ngin Hoon Tong, senior director of Science and Technology division of Singapore Food Agency, said: “As we continue to navigate an increasingly complex global food landscape, sustained R&D investment in novel foods [remains] an important strategy“.

“These awarded projects represent the next wave of breakthrough technologies that will enhance our food resilience and position Singapore as a leader in sustainable food innovation.”