Here is a summary of the text in 200 words:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has released a report on “Precision Fermentation – With a Focus on Food Safety” by Drs. Sturme, van der Berg, and Kleter from Wageningen Food Safety Research. The report examines the intricacies of precision fermentation, a new method of food production that uses microorganisms to create traditional food compounds in a controlled environment. Fermentation processes are performed in bioreactors, similar to big beer-brewing tanks, using microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, or algae.
The report covers the three phases of precision fermentation (technology development, upstream fermentation, and downstream processing), and includes three case studies highlighting the practical applications of this technology. The report also summarizes the outcomes of two online regulatory consultations with over 100 experts, collecting information on food safety frameworks from 35 jurisdictions.
The document serves as a guide for food safety competent authorities worldwide to understand and ensure the safety of food products derived from precision fermentation. It provides a valuable reference point for countries to learn from good practices and lessons learned, and lays the groundwork for future regulatory actions. The report can be downloaded on the FAO website.