Concepts such as "synthetic biology," "microbial protein," and "artificial meat" have long become buzzwords in academia and industry. To promote innovation in microbial protein and accelerate the development of new-quality productivity, the first National Microbial Protein Technology Innovation and Industry Development Conference will be held in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, on May 17-18, 2024, hosted by the China Bio-fermentation Industry Association and co-organized by Jiangxi Fushine Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and the Center for Future Food Science at Jiangnan University. To promote innovation in microbial protein and accelerate the development of new-quality productivity, the conference is being held at the turn of spring and summer.

The conference invited renowned academicians, experts, scholars, and industry representatives in the fields of microbial protein fermentation engineering and food biotechnology, microbial safety and health, sustainable food systems, biosynthesis, and nutrition to present their research findings and insights. The conference will bring together industry leaders to discuss future trends in microbial protein technology innovation and industrial development, promote the application and implementation of cutting-edge technologies, and drive the development of new productivity in the microbial protein industry.

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Important! Academician Keynote Report

The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China emphasized the need to establish a comprehensive food perspective and build a diversified food supply system. Microbial protein utilizes renewable raw materials as substrates and is produced by cultivating microorganisms in fermentation tanks. This method produces more protein using fewer resources, boasting high production efficiency and low carbon dioxide emissions. It is estimated that the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis is thousands of times greater than that of protein obtained through aquaculture. Within the next 15 years, the global protein market is projected to reach $2 trillion, with microbial protein products accounting for approximately 22% of the market share.

At a time when policies and industries are in full swing, the conference specially invited three outstanding academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering - Wu Qingping, Chen Jian and Xie Mingyong, who will give wonderful reports and share their views on hot topics such as the latest research progress, technological innovation and industrial application in the field of microbial protein.

Academician Wu Qingping has long been dedicated to the construction and application of a large database of microbial safety and health strains, genomics, and omics in China. This time, he will share his research findings and insights on the theme of "Targeted Breeding of Important Health Microbial Strains and Development of Functional Products."

Academician Chen Jian, currently a professor and doctoral supervisor at Jiangnan University, has in-depth research in fermentation engineering and food biotechnology. He will talk about the current tasks and challenges of industry development from the perspective of the microbial protein industry chain.

Academician Xie Mingyong, a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and professor at Nanchang University, will attend the conference as a special guest moderator. In recent years, Academician Xie has directed over ten national-level projects, including key projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China and projects under the National Key Research and Development Program. He currently serves as director of the National Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resource Exploration at Nanchang University, focusing on food nutrition science and technology.

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Cutting-edge! A multi-dimensional academic summit on microbial protein technology, safety, nutrition, food applications, etc.

The new wave of microbial protein is unstoppable. How to make consumers accept microbial protein while complying with policy safety requirements has become a compulsory course for all parties in the industry. At the same time, it is also particularly important for the industry to continuously consolidate the core value of the industrial chain ecology under the complex technical routes and many uncertainties such as strain screening, orientation, and strengthening.

The conference invited Li Ning, Director of the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center and Vice President of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology, to share his thoughts on the "Safety Evaluation Requirements for Microbial Proteins." In addition, the conference also invited Ms. Jin Fen, Deputy Director of the Institute of Agricultural Quality Standards and Testing Technology of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, to share her thoughts on the current issues of "Microbial Protein Regulation and Safety Evaluation."

In addition to the aforementioned food safety presentations, the conference also invited Li Demao, a researcher and doctoral supervisor at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who specializes in low-carbon biomanufacturing of microbial proteins and oils. He will also present on "Research Progress and Development Trends in Microbial Proteins." Liu Yanfeng, a researcher and doctoral supervisor at the Center for Future Food Science at Jiangnan University, specializes in using synthetic biology to construct cell factories for the synthesis of food functional factors and food proteins. He will also share his research findings and insights on "Microbial Protein Strain Enhancement and Food Processing."

Regarding flavor modification and nutritional health, the conference invited Zhong Fang, professor and doctoral supervisor at Jiangnan University and director of the Key Laboratory of Food Perception Science and Technology of China Light Industry, to help participants better understand the appeal of alternative proteins from the perspective of flavor and texture. Xu Baocai, professor, doctoral supervisor, and dean of the School of Food and Bioengineering at Hefei University of Technology, will also share the current status of research on mycoprotein-based meat simulations and its future development prospects, helping to gradually inspire innovative applications. Li Chunbao, professor and doctoral supervisor at Nanjing Agricultural University, will also give a special report on the nutritional and health aspects of meat.

In addition, Fudan University Distinguished Professor Lv Hong, Nanjing Tech University Professor Jiang Ling, Jinan University Professor Ding Yu, and Beijing Technology and Business University Professor Li Jian will also give keynote speeches at the conference.

Finally, Li Huiyue, Vice Chairman and Senior Engineer of Fushine Pharmaceuticals, will present a speech titled "Fushine Microbial Protein Industrialization Practice and Application," sharing Fushine's success stories and practical experience. Fushine Pharmaceuticals is reportedly one of the few companies in China to have achieved 1,000-ton industrialization, possesses complete intellectual property rights for a novel strain, and has received a notice of acceptance from the State Intellectual Property Office.

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Sign the Industry Alliance Initiative! Discuss Industry Development and Investment Opportunities

The conference also invited many capital market analysts and business leaders to discuss topics such as technological challenges, industrial collaboration, and category innovation from different dimensions and perspectives, hoping to provide more reference and inspiration for the industry.

Dong Guangyang, Director of Huachuang Securities Research Institute; Liu Chang, Assistant Director and Chief Consumer Analyst at Huafu Securities; and Yang Yitao, Chief Chemical Analyst at Guosheng Securities, will present opportunities and challenges in the microbial protein market from a capital market perspective and discuss the broad prospects of synthetic biology. The conference also invited Ms. Li Peiying, CEO of Gufu Business Information Consulting Co., Ltd., to share development opportunities in the microbial protein industry from a broader global perspective.

In addition, the conference specially invited Qin Xianwu, chief engineer of Angel Yeast Co., Ltd., who has been engaged in production and manufacturing, technology development, quality and food safety management in the fermentation field for a long time. He is responsible for the technology development and quality improvement of yeast and yeast-derived products, yeast protein technology development, product creation and new technology promotion and application, and has in-depth research on the sustainable innovation of yeast protein.

Meanwhile, David Yang, Chairman of Hong Kong Green Monday Holdings Limited, will share his experiences and insights on the innovative application of microbial protein in food. According to public information, Green Monday has previously been committed to developing innovative plant-based protein foods, providing clearer and more direct firsthand information on the current state of the alternative protein market, brand development, and consumer cultivation.

At the conference, Fushine Pharmaceuticals will sign a strategic cooperation agreement with its important industrial partners, and will also jointly release the "Industry-University-Research-Application" Industrial Alliance Initiative with the Future Food Science Center of Jiangnan University, Jiangxi Normal University, Jiaxing Future Food Research Institute, Yixing Food and Biotechnology Research Institute, Hong Kong Green Alliance Holdings Co., Ltd., Ultimeat(M) Sdn Bhd and Muen (Guangzhou) Biotechnology Co., Ltd. at the conference.

The microbial protein industry alliance aims to promote the innovation and optimization of microbial protein technology, accelerate the adaptation and innovation of microbial protein fermentation processes and equipment, promote the regulation of microbial protein nutrition and texture, promote the food processing of microbial protein with realistic color and flavor, evaluate the nutritional and safety risks of microbial protein and its products, and ultimately promote the healthy and sustainable development of the microbial protein industry.