Nurasa has inaugurated its cutting-edge Food Tech Innovation Centre (FTIC) in Singapore. Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Mr. Heng Swee Keat was the Guest-of-Honour at the ceremony which marked a significant milestone in Nurasa's commitment to advancing sustainable food solutions.
Located strategically within Biopolis, a key part of Singapore's innovation community, Nurasa's FTIC is a 3,840 sqm food-grade facility that features high-tech laboratories with advanced capabilities in precision fermentation (PF) and food processing. The PF lab includes bioreactors that have production capacities of up to 100 litres, allowing companies to produce at a greater scale beyond developmental capacities. These labs tap on ecosystem capabilities at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), ScaleUpBio and others.
The Centre serves as a pivotal hub for Nurasa's NuFood Concept Studio – an open innovation platform that pioneers the product development and commercialisation of sustainable foods. The NuFood Concept Studio fosters culinary creativity and encourages consumer-centric food innovation, and sustainable practices. It addresses emerging food industry innovations like low-sugar, cholesterol-free, and gut-friendly foods with exceptional flavour profiles. Corporations and start-ups will have access to scout out the latest ingredients, co-create recipes based on latest technologies and market insights, and ideate on the delivery of accessible, adaptable, and affordable sustainable food solutions that will feed more people in the future.
Designed to accelerate and scale product commercialisation, the FTIC is designed to sustain and amplify the impact of innovation and new breakthroughs to strengthen food security. The robust ecosystem comprises industry partners, portfolio companies and joint ventures like ScaleUp Bio and Cremer, who collectively contribute to a sustainable food future through innovation. The Centre features meticulously designed shared laboratories and collaborative workspaces, alongside private suites adaptable for small offices or laboratories where partners can co-create and enable innovation across the value chain.
With the support of Nurasa and the FTIC, Cremer Sustainable Foods now produces plant-based alternative proteins at one of Singapore's largest HME manufacturing facilities. The 1,000 sqm facility has a production capacity of 1,300 tonnes per annum, scaling the production of plant-based products that closely resemble meat, enhancing their appeal to consumers.
As part of the official opening, DPM Heng toured the NuFood Concept Studio and engaged in discussions with Nurasa's partners, a testament to innovation in culinary design with food tech joint labs to facilitate research and development. Every aspect, from ingredient storage to preparation areas, adheres to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), guaranteeing quality and safety.
"Nurasa is poised to lead insight-driven product innovation and accelerate commercialisation to meet the increasing demands for wellness and sustainability. At the Food Tech Innovation Centre, cutting-edge technology is at the heart of everything we do. Our facility enables us to challenge the status quo of the existing food system and develop solutions alongside our startup and corporate partners. Our mission is simple yet profound: to enable accessible, appealing, affordable sustainable nutrition solutions for the everyday person." said Nurasa CEO, Xiuling Guo.
Source: agrifoodinnovation.com