Every day at Aarhus University, both small and large steps are taken in the development of the foods of the future. These advancements were celebrated and stimulated as the university hosted CellFood Day on April 15th.

The event, led by Professor Jette Feveile Young, brought together researchers and industry experts to assess the progress made in the CellFood project and to chart the course for the coming years.

From Umbrella Project to Groundbreaking Collaborations

The umbrella project CellFood is an initiative financed by the Aarhus University Research Foundation. Since its inception, the project has worked on developing and refining methods for producing foods based on cells — technologies that offer solutions to some of today's most pressing challenges in food production and sustainability.

"We aim to bring together everyone interested in cellular foods — both those already active in the field and those who wish to apply their knowledge in this area in the future," says Professor Jette Feveile Young about the purpose of the day.

During CellFood Day, researchers from a wide range of disciplines presented their results and ongoing projects. From developing bioinformatics models for precision fermentation, cultivating mammary cells, and testing antimicrobial peptides, to ethical considerations and anthropological studies of food culture and consumer behavior. The projects covered a broad interdisciplinary spectrum of innovative approaches to food production.

Results and Visions

According to Jette Feveile Young, the day was a success, not least because of the many new insights participants shared with each other and take home with them.

"We gained a really good overview of what the projects and 'public outreach' activities have achieved and what to expect from future activities," she says, adding that the day also included plans to initiate larger projects based on the results obtained.

One of the key events in the near future is the 2nd International Conference on Cellular Agriculture, to be held at AU in June: https://www.internationalcellag.com/

"Many of us are active in the planning and even more will contribute by presenting their results to a broader segment of international researchers, NGOs, and companies," says Jette Feveile Young.

The Future of CellFood

With support from both public and private funds, CellFood still has big plans.

CellFood Day was not just an occasion to celebrate achievements but also a platform to explore new research opportunities and strengthen the interdisciplinary collaborations that are so crucial for the project's success.

"Today, researchers heard about each other's results across disciplines, and we hope this can inspire further and new collaborations. Our goal with CellFood is to create future innovations so we can better tackle the climate and resource challenges in the food sector," says Jette Feveile Young.

The green transition of agriculture and the food sector is becoming increasingly pressing, and in this reality, CellFood can significantly contribute to a more sustainable food production in the future.

Learn more about CellFood: https://food.au.dk/cellfood-hub