Designing scalable precision fermentation for sustainable food proteins.

Abstract

Precision fermentation (PF) holds strong potential as a livestock-free platform for producing sustainable, high-value proteins to support a growing global population. However, broader adoption depends on achieving cost and functional parity with animal-derived proteins but has historically been limited by low volumetric productivity and yields that drive up costs. These challenges intensify at industrial scale, where linear process scale-up often fails due to technical, operational, and engineering constraints in large fermenters, widening the gap between affordability and supply. Addressing this requires embedding a scalability-first mindset early in process development. To address this issue, this review highlights an integrated upstream strategy that combines microbial host engineering, medium optimization, and scale-aware bioprocess design to maximize titer-rate-yield (TRY), alongside the strategic use of existing fermentation infrastructure and co-location near feedstocks to lower costs and reduce logistical delays. Early techno-economic analysis (TEA) is essential to prioritize impactful innovations such as continuous processing and food-specific strain engineering. Additionally, Industry 4.0 approaches including AI-driven control and real-time monitoring enable adaptive, self-optimizing processes that enhance robustness and improve performance at scale.