INTERVIEW 80 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE September 2025 ple, anyone who runs a farm butchery with their own shop could produce cell mass with a small bioreactor and process it directly on site. This would be a possible model for regional marketing. For the broad mass of farmers, however, cell cultivation is less relevant: We are talking about a highly sensitive raw material that places high demands on hygiene, technology and a complex supply chain. In addition, cultivated foods have not yet been authorised in Europe - the corresponding procedures at EU level will still take a long time. However, those who already have suitable structures and networks in place today can utilise these and produce high-quality raw materials - legumes, for example - and supply them to regional processors. What opportunities do farmers have to retain a larger share of the added value of alternative products? Prof. Hühn: An important argument is to fulfil the consumer's desire for locally produced food. Anchoring local production in the farm philosophy and passing on information about it to the food industry works. If someone can say ‘the bread here comes from a bakery ten kilometres away and the grain comes from local fields’, it may sound a little idyllic, but it creates trust and therefore added value. This works just as well with traditional protein sources as it does with alternative ones. Are there other ways for farmers to benefit from the production of alternative proteins? Prof. Hühn: Yes, there are many. But I would like to draw particular attention to the production of regional culture media for fermentation. Grain for beer and spent grains as a side stream are a classic example, but the field is much larger today. Fungi and the production of the culture medium for their mycelia are a huge topic. Cell cultures need a culture medium and for ecological reasons it would make a lot of sense to produce the raw materials for this regionally, possibly even organically. Together with a large Swiss agricultural co-operative, we had an exciting research project here. Where can farmers find partners to work with? Poppe: Networking is a very important topic, because many partners in the chain, from seed producers to food manufacturers, are also feeling the pressure to change. Everyone is changing their network structure and their value chain, which is why it is incredibly important to attend regional events. The DLG offers a lot, be it the winter conference or our New Feed and Food committee. A first step can be to ask the cultivation advisor the next time he comes to the farm. You can also find a lot of information online, for example on the Good Food Institute website. Are there also contacts in the food industry who can help farmers? Prof. Hühn: The frozen food industry is very interested in the topic. Food service firms and company caterers are also very active in this area. There are already various joint activities by farmers, but I don't want to mention any brand names. What they all have in common is that the quality requirements are very high. What is the situation with partners in the food trade? Is there a demand for alternative proteins? Prof. Hühn: The first alternative meat products that were noticed by a wider public came onto the Professional insect production: Sieving the fattened larvae Photo: FarmInsect
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