Artificial intelligence is finding its way into fermentation – from selecting microorganisms and designing bioprocesses to monitoring production in real time. Recent developments show how AI is beginning to move from digital models towards practical biomanufacturing.
MOA Foodtech: from side-streams to ingredients
Spanish biotech MOA Foodtech is combining AI and fermentation to transform agri-food side-streams into higher-value ingredients.
Its MOA Box platform focuses on starch-rich side-streams, using proprietary AI tools to support microorganism selection and process design before moving through fermentation development, scale-up, techno-economic assessment and application testing. The European Innovation Council (EIC) records €2.3m in grant funding and a €12.5m equity commitment to MOA, with further development focused on bringing new functional ingredients towards industrial deployment.
baCta: designing bioproduction with AI
French biotech baCta is applying AI further upstream, combining computational tools, strain development and fermentation to develop microorganisms for industrial ingredient production. Its first target is astaxanthin, a carotenoid used across nutrition, cosmetics and animal nutrition. On 3 March 2026, baCta announced a €7m seed round to support industrial scale-up and further development of its AI-enabled bioproduction platform.
AI enters the fermentation plant
In Canada, Crush Dynamics and Atomic47 Labs are taking AI directly into fermentation operations.
On 24 June 2026, Protein Industries Canada announced a project with a total investment of C$2.64m to develop an AI-enabled fermentation platform using industrial sensors and machine learning. The project aims to monitor fermentation conditions, food-safety indicators, energy performance and process health in real time, while supporting the conversion of agricultural byproducts into higher-value food ingredients.
From digital tools to biomanufacturing
What makes these developments interesting is that AI is entering fermentation at different stages. MOA is applying it to microorganism selection and fermentation design, baCta to strain and bioprocess development, while the Canadian project is exploring real-time process monitoring and optimisation.
This could be particularly valuable during scale-up. Fermentation generates complex biological and process data, and changes in operating conditions can influence productivity, consistency and manufacturing economics. Using AI to interpret those data could help scientists and engineers make faster and better-informed process decisions.
We are now witnessing AI move beyond digital applications and into fermentation and manufacturing, with the potential to accelerate process development, improve production efficiency and support more economically viable fermentation-derived products.
The convergence of AI, biotechnology and manufacturing could mark an important step forward for the fermentation industry. We look forward to seeing how this next phase develops – and what new ingredients, processes and opportunities emerge from it.
Sources & further reading
MOA Foodtech – Official Website
MOA Foodtech – MOA Box
European Innovation Council – MOA Foodtech
baCta – Official Website
baCta – €7m Seed Round, 3 March 2026
Protein Industries Canada – AI-Enabled Fermentation Platform, 24 June 2026
Author: Dr Aleks Szopinska
