BioTech Foods has revealed that it is heading a €5.2 million cultured meat project – majoritively funded by the Spanish government – that will investigate the potential health benefits of cellular agriculture.

The project aims to investigate meat produced from cellular agriculture that, together with the development of healthy fats and functional ingredients, will enable the manufacture of healthier meat products than traditional red meat.

Based in the Basque Country, BioTech has been producing its own cell-based brand called Ethicameat, which it claims is 100% natural, animal based, slaughter-free, high in protein and fat-free.

Seven entities will work alongside BioTech Foods as part of the cultivated meat project – Argal, Martínez Somalo, DMC Research, BDI Biotech, Neoalgae, BTSA and Agrowingdata. The consortium will also be joined by ten research organisations including Barcelona Science Park, University of Granada and CTIC CITA.

According to BioTech Foods, the project proposes a more sustainable and healthier agri-food sector. One of the main focuses is the prevention of colon cancer and dyslipidemia through reduced consumer exposure to saturated fat. In its place, the consortium aims to research functional ingredients and the preparation of healthy lipids into a final consumer product.

The Spanish government has granted the project €3.7 million, while the total budget of the initiative amounts to €5.2 million.

Currently, BioTech Foods says the biggest challenge for the sector is producing cultivated meat on an industrial scale. Last month, Eat Just’s cultured chicken was approved for sale in Singapore in what has been deemed the world’s first regulatory approval for cultured meat.

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