CO₂ to Protein: Novonesis and DTU’s BRIGHT Collaborate on Sustainable Food Production

A new partnership between Novonesis and the Technical University of Denmark’s (DTU) BRIGHT Biofoundry aims to revolutionize protein production by converting captured carbon dioxide (CO₂) into sustainable food ingredients. This collaboration addresses a critical challenge in decarbonizing the food industry and reducing reliance on traditional agriculture.

The Acetate Consortium and the Drive for Sustainable Protein

The initiative operates under the umbrella of The Acetate Consortium, launched in 2023 with funding from the Gates Foundation and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The consortium unites Novonesis, Topsoe, and leading academic and industrial partners to transform waste CO₂ into valuable food ingredients [1]. The core goal is to lessen the food sector’s dependence on land- and resource-intensive agricultural practices.

Overcoming the Acetate Bottleneck

A significant hurdle in CO₂-based protein production lies in efficiently utilizing acetate, a compound produced from captured carbon. Even as many microbes thrive on glucose from crops, fewer can effectively metabolize acetate [1]. This limitation has historically hindered the commercial viability of converting CO₂ into protein.

Evolutionary Engineering for Enhanced Microbial Performance

Researchers at DTU’s BRIGHT Biofoundry are collaborating with Novonesis to improve how microorganisms process acetate. They are employing advanced evolutionary engineering techniques to optimize yeast and fungal strains for acetate-based fermentation [2]. This involves focusing on:

• Increasing microbial tolerance to acetate
• Accelerating acetate consumption rates
• Boosting protein production yields
• Reducing fermentation time and costs

BRIGHT’s high-throughput automated evolution platform enables rapid, systematic strain improvement at a scale that would traditionally require years of laboratory work [2]. According to Professor Adam Feist of BRIGHT, “This is where evolution becomes a design tool. We are evolving microbes to do it faster, more efficiently, and in ways that actually produce industrial sense.” [2]

Combining Expertise for Scalable Solutions

The partnership leverages Novonesis’ decades of experience in microbial strain development and DTU’s cutting-edge capabilities in microbial evolution and systems biology [3]. Claus Crone Fuglsang, chief scientific officer at Novonesis, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating, “Together, we aim to develop microorganisms that grow faster, tolerate acetate more effectively and deliver higher protein yields.” [3]

A Blueprint for a Circular Bioeconomy

This collaboration represents a convergence of industrial biotechnology and food innovation, offering a potentially transformative solution for decoupling protein production from arable land [3]. By enabling the efficient conversion of captured CO₂ into protein, this technology could stabilize supply, reduce environmental impact, and contribute to global food security.