Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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29. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the work being undertaken by his Department in the area of precision fermentation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10767/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Precision fermentation involves turning microorganisms into mini factories producing particular enzymes or protein ingredients. The raw materials needed to fuel precision fermentation include sugars from waste-biomass, such as from the food processing industry. Re-use of such waste can allow a transition to a circular, zero-waste bioeconomy.

Precision fermentation is recognised in my Department's Thematic Research Call 2023 call launched on Friday 3rd March. This is my Departments biennial research call which will fund over €20 million in pioneering research in areas such as climate mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity and water quality, sustainable farming, animal health and welfare, social sustainability, the bioeconomy, agri-digitalisation, and safe, healthy sustainable food.

The area of precision fermentation is included in the scope of the Call in recognition of its potential to make better use of waste such as food waste, while also developing new biobased products through the use of precision fermentation.

A key research question that is proposed to be addressed is the identification of specific proteins and biobased products with the highest return on investment and also key markets for such proteins and biobased products. The results of this research call will be announced in Q4 of this year.