Blue Paper written by 48 leading scientists lists challenges to advancing future foods
Establishment of a scalable, serum-free culture system for cultivated meat is one of the key technical challenges facing an industry eager to develop alternatives to traditional animal products, a new report released today states.
The Blue Paper, the work of the NeoProtein Professional Committee of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) and ProVeg China, identifies the most urgent scientific and technological barriers slowing the development and scale-up of next-generation proteins.
“The research and industrial communities must work hand-in-hand to address these key challenges and drive the high-quality development of the industry,” Professor Jian Li of Beijing Technology and Business University said.
Prof. Xiaoquan Yang, South China University of Technology, added: “Significant technical gaps still exist in plant-based and related fields. Future efforts should prioritise staple foods and alternatives to traditional animal proteins, so that novel proteins can genuinely become part of people’s everyday diets.”
First ever comprehensive overview
Co-authored by scientists across plant-based, microbial, and cultivated-protein fields, the Blue Paper provides the first system-level analysis of China’s core technical gaps and emerging opportunities.
It also offers a strategic roadmap for aligning national R&D priorities, strengthening industry–academia collaboration, and translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world applications.
China’s progress in alternative protein carries growing global relevance as countries worldwide seek more resilient, low-carbon food production.
The Blue Paper provides a timely, evidence-based strategic roadmap for research, industry, and policymaking, outlining shared scientific challenges that support both China’s national priorities and the broader international transition toward sustainable food systems.
ProVeg China continues to play a bridging role—connecting China’s innovation efforts with global expertise, facilitating open knowledge exchange, and strengthening collaboration across borders.
“The Blue Paper is a powerful call to action for advancing the industry,” Nicole Wu, Executive Director and Chief Representative of ProVeg China, said.
“It will help scientists concentrate on the most impactful research areas, guide policymakers and funders on strategic resource allocation, and enable industry stakeholders to identify where collaboration can make the greatest difference. ProVeg is honored to work hand in hand with the experts of the Neo-Protein Professional Committee to chart this strategic roadmap for the development of China’s alternative protein sector.”
Top ten technical bottlenecks identified
- Green and High-Efficiency Extraction Technology for Low-Denatured Plant protein
- Construction of Meat-like Multi-dimensional Structure Construction of NeoProtein and Enhancement of Juiciness Simulation
- Development of Myogenic Cell Lines with Stable Long-term Passaging Capacity for Cultivated Meat Applications
- Establishment of a Scalable Serum-free Culture System for Cultivated meat
- Construction of the Highly Efficient Cell Factory for Fermented Microbial Biomass Protein Production
- Intelligent Design of Protein Biomanufacturing Reactors and Process Control for High-Density Fermentation
- Precision Design of Yeast Chassis Cells for Efficient Expression of Functional Proteins
- Integration Technology for Low-carbon Processing of Edible Fungal Protein and Automated Solid-state Fermentation Equipment
- Optimization of Processability and Multi-scenario Application of Yeast Protein
- Protein Enrichment and Quality-enhanced Utilization of Fusarium Venenatum
You can download the English version of the Blue Paper or the Chinese Version of the Blue Paper .
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Notes to Editors
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For scientific data about the benefits of plant-based eating, see our Food System Data website.
About ProVeg China
ProVeg China is part of ProVeg International, a food awareness organisation with the mission to replace 50% of animal products globally with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040. Our vision is a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet.
