A new £1m project will research new varieties of peas to reduce the UK’s reliance on soya imports while offering new economic opportunities for farmers.
The pea protein project is being spearheaded by Aberystwyth University and grass and forage seed specialists, Germinal.
In 2022, the UK imported three million tonnes of soya for use in human and animal feeds.
Soya is also a crop associated with deforestation in South America, which contributes to the acceleration of climate change.
Demand for plant-based proteins is increasing, as soya forms the basis of most plant-based protein options, but they are currently difficult to grow in a UK climate.
The aim of this project is to use peas as a home-grown protein source that can replace soya in human foods.
Researchers say peas are suited to the UK climate, are environmentally friendly, boost soil health by fixing free nitrogen from the air and even leave some in the ground for the next crop.
The project also aims to offer new economic opportunities for farmers to replace soya with a home grown alternative.
The project will include testing on farms to ensure that only the varieties that meet market demands and the agronomic requirements of UK farmers will go to market.
Germinal Horizon, the company’s research division, will collaborate with Aberystwyth University, the John Innes Centre, and PGRO on the project.
Dr Catherine Howarth from Aberystwyth University, one of the researchers on the project, said peas had an excellent nutritional profile and were an important part of sustainable rotations in UK agriculture.
"They can also help reduce our reliance on imported soya, which will support society in meeting the government’s net zero target," she said.
"There is a vast array of products that include peas as an ingredient, and we are excited to be part of this project.”
Paul Billings, managing director of Germinal UK, said finding a sustainable alternative to soya was a priority for the food industry.
"Protein crops such as peas are ideal for the UK climate but one of our challenges is their flavour profile in human food.
"Pea flavours are undesirable for consumers in processed food, so the goal is to produce peas that are tasteless but retain nutritional value.
“This exciting breeding programme will use innovative research in pea genetics to develop new varieties without the traditionally associated problems.”
The programme is part-funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Pathway via Innovate UK, which is part of UK Research and Innovation.
