The EGGcellent project
The EGGcellent project combines precision fermentation, ingredient innovation, and bioprocess expertise to explore new approaches to sustainable protein production.
As demand for sustainable protein sources continues to grow, the food industry is exploring new ways to reduce reliance on traditional animal-based ingredients while maintaining product performance and supply chain resilience. One example is the EGGcellent project, a collaborative initiative that brings together Vivici, Proeon Foods, Planet B.io, and Getinge to develop innovative egg alternatives for industrial bakery applications.
Launched in 2025, the project combines expertise in precision fermentation, plant-based ingredients, bioprocess development, and biotechnology infrastructure. Together, the partners aim to accelerate the development of sustainable protein solutions while strengthening the regional biotechnology ecosystem in the Dutch province of South Holland.
Supporting innovation through bioprocess expertise
Within the EGGcellent project, Getinge contributes bioprocess expertise and Applikon bioreactor technology to support cultivation activities and process development. The collaboration provides an opportunity to apply bioprocess technologies in an emerging field of biotechnology and highlights how expertise from the life science sector can contribute to innovation in food production.
The project also provides valuable insights for future technology development. One objective for Getinge is to apply learnings from the cultivation work to support the development of a 15 L single-use microbial bioreactor.
"Projects like EGGcellent demonstrate how bioprocess technology can help accelerate innovation across different industries," says Timo Keijzer, Director Bioreactor Products at Getinge. "By contributing our expertise and bioreactor solutions, we can help partners move efficiently from development activities toward scalable production processes."
From project launch to practical implementation
Since the project began, the consortium has moved from planning and infrastructure setup to active development work. Bioreactor systems have been installed and commissioned, creating the foundation for cultivation activities that support the development and evaluation of novel protein production processes.
Initial efforts focused on establishing and validating the bioprocess setup, including hardware and software verification, media and sterility testing, and the cultivation of production strains. Multiple cultivation runs have already been completed, generating early data that supports continued process optimization and future development activities.
These activities mark an important step in translating project objectives into practical results and demonstrate the value of combining biotechnology expertise with advanced process infrastructure.
Sharing early results with the scientific community
Progress from the project was recently presented at MB11, where consortium members shared early cultivation results and development activities with researchers and industry professionals.
Presenting results at scientific conferences is an important part of advancing innovation. It creates opportunities to exchange experiences, gather feedback, and contribute to broader discussions around biotechnology, fermentation, and sustainable protein production.
"One of the strengths of this project is the combination of complementary expertise," says Paul ter Huurne, Verification Engineer at Getinge. "By bringing together knowledge in fermentation, ingredient development, and bioprocess technology, the consortium is creating a strong foundation for continued innovation and future scale-up activities."
Readers interested in the technical aspects of the project can explore the poster presented at MB11, which highlights the project's cultivation setup and early findings.
Looking ahead
While still in its early stages, the EGGcellent project has already established the infrastructure and processes needed to support continued development. The next phase will focus on further cultivation studies, process optimization, and evaluating protein performance in industrial bakery .
Beyond its technical objectives, the project also contributes to strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem. Through Planet B.io, part of the advanced bioreactor infrastructure established within the project will be accessible to other innovative companies, helping support future biotechnology research and development activities.
By combining expertise from biotechnology, food innovation, and bioprocess engineering, the EGGcellent project illustrates how collaboration can help accelerate the development of more sustainable solutions for future food production.
