The Protein Digest

Amethis takes minority stake in Egyptian rice-based ingredients maker Tiba. Amethis will acquire a significant minority stake in Tiba for Starch & Glucose, an Egyptian rice-based food ingredients producer, with closing expected in Q2 2026. via africaglobalfunds.com

KTH researchers turn wheat bran into plant-protein hydrogels for food use. KTH researchers created plant-based hydrogels from wheat bran fiber and gluten protein, offering new food texture and thickening applications. via eurekalert.org

Ingredion and Shiru partner to discover novel functional proteins using AI. Ingredion and Shiru will jointly develop novel functional proteins using AI, targeting next-generation prebiotics for microbiome health. via markets.businessinsider.com

Swedish researchers turn wheat bran into plant-based food gels. KTH scientists created the first fully wheat-based hydrogel from bran fiber and gluten, potentially transforming a low-value milling by-product into a food ingredient. via via.tt.se

EU meat-naming ban spares seafood but not plant protein products. The EU's meat-naming ban excludes seafood but covers plant protein products like tofu steak, with restaurant impact depending on national enforcement. via foodnavigator.com

Oxidized tea polyphenol boosts plant protein foaming and emulsifying performance. Oxidized tea polyphenol QEGCG enhances plant protein foaming and emulsifying properties up to 3.2× while boosting hypoglycemic activity. via sciencedirect.com

Nine-lab study validates in-vitro methods for protein digestibility testing. A nine-lab study confirms in-vitro assays can reliably replace rodent-based protein digestibility testing across plant and animal sources. via umtoday.ca

Hungarian firm Helvét-Farm opens 30,000-tonne pea processing plant. Helvét-Farm opens a 30,000-tonne pea processing plant in Hungary combining dry fractionation and extrusion for protein, flour, and TVP production. via ukragroconsult.com

Virdalis raises $700K to scale duckweed-based animal feed protein. Virdalis secured $700K in pre-seed funding to develop duckweed-derived protein for the Southeast Asian animal feed market. via technode.global

Türkiye nears completion of its most comprehensive agricultural census. Türkiye has surveyed 96% of roughly 4.2 million farm producers in its most comprehensive agricultural census, with results expected later this year. via dailysabah.com

Solar Foods plans 40-fold production expansion for microbial protein Solein. Solar Foods unveils Factory 02 plans to scale Solein microbial protein production from 160 to 6,400 tons annually. via foodingredientsfirst.com

SIIG and Unibio to build world's largest single-cell protein plant in Saudi Arabia. SIIG and Unibio plan a 50,000-tonne single-cell protein plant in Saudi Arabia, the world's largest, with construction starting in 2026. via Protein Report

Nexture opens 2026 startup call across five food-ingredient domains. Nexture's Generate program is accepting startup applications across bakery, oils, proteins, nutrition, and future-proofing ingredients through May 4. via Protein Report

Five pitfalls to avoid in EFSA novel food applications. EFSA outlines five key steps for novel food applicants to avoid delays, including early regulator engagement and robust stability data. via foodnavigator.com

Mewery appoints Believer Meats veteran as CTO, reports 300 g/L biomass yield. Mewery names Dr. Moria Shimoni as CTO and reports a 300 g/L biomass yield milestone using its microalgae-mammalian cell co-cultivation platform. via Protein Report

South Dakota enacts five-year moratorium on cell-cultured meat. South Dakota imposed a five-year moratorium on cell-cultured meat and passed a $7.5 billion budget as its 2026 legislative session concluded. via kotatv.com

Toppan wins Japanese research awards for cultured meat 3D-printing technique. TOPPAN Holdings won a Japanese research award for a 3D-printing technique using collagen microfibers to fabricate marbled cultured meat. via holdings.toppan.com

Food litigation roundup covers cell-cultured meat bans, egg labeling, and EU rules. March 2026 food law developments include a South Dakota cell-cultured meat moratorium, EU labeling restrictions, and U.S. cage-free egg litigation. via jdsupra.com

Duke researcher examines U.S. policy gaps around cell-cultured meat. A Duke University researcher is studying U.S. regulatory gaps and state-level bans affecting cell-cultured meat and seafood. via today.duke.edu

Minnesota bill requiring cell-cultured meat labeling advances out of committee. A Minnesota Senate bill requiring labeling on cell-cultured meat and poultry advanced out of committee and was referred to the Senate floor. via mnsenaterepublicans.com

Double-coated encapsulation boosts Spirulina's viability in food applications. Dual-coated hydrogel beads achieve 99.6% encapsulation efficiency for Spirulina platensis, improving stability and controlled bioactive release. via sciencedirect.com

Eggland's Best faces class action over misleading 'cage free' claims. A federal judge ruled a class action against Eggland's Best over misleading "cage free" egg labeling can proceed. via topclassactions.com

South Korean supermarkets lag on methane and plant protein commitments. South Korea's Lotte and Emart lead on emissions disclosure but fail on methane targets and plant protein promotion, a new retailer assessment finds. via mightyearth.org

Russian farmers protest mass livestock culls over undisclosed disease. Russian farmers protest mass livestock culls in Novosibirsk as authorities refuse to name the disease behind sweeping quarantine measures. via meduza.io

Foot-and-mouth disease confirmed on Greek island of Lesvos. Greece confirms its first foot-and-mouth outbreak in 25 years on Lesvos, imposing strict restrictions amid an ongoing sheep and goat pox epidemic. via ekathimerini.com

UK study links chicken to over 80 percent of human Campylobacter cases. A UK FSA genomics study finds chicken causes over 80% of human Campylobacter cases, with rising antimicrobial resistance in key strains. via food-safety.com

Raw Farm refuses recall of cheddar cheese linked to E. coli outbreak. The FDA links Raw Farm's unpasteurized cheddar to an E. coli outbreak sickening seven, but the dairy refuses a voluntary recall. via kffhealthnews.org

Human brucellosis surged 167-fold in China's Ningxia region over 15 years. Human brucellosis in Ningxia rose 167-fold from 2007 to 2022, with livestock inventories explaining up to 96% of spatial risk. via journals.plos.org

Colorado broadens livestock disease fund to include preparedness. Colorado legislators advanced a bill expanding the state's livestock disease fund to cover preparedness and response, not just post-destruction compensation. via westernagnetwork.com

JBS workers strike in Colorado over unsafe working conditions. JBS meat plant workers in Greeley, Colorado, strike over alleged unsafe conditions as union negotiations with the company stall. via cbsnews.com

Gauteng's R63 Million FMD Response Draws Fire as Outbreak Worsens. Gauteng allocates R63M for Foot-and-Mouth Disease, but critics say it falls short as farmers face movement restrictions and rising costs. via dagauteng.org.za

UK FSA charts emerging food technologies for regulatory readiness. The UK FSA and FSS rank emerging food technologies by impact and feasibility to guide regulatory planning over the next 5–15 years. via food-safety.com