Protein folding — the way amino acid chains fold into 3D structures — has long been one of the hardest problems in biosciences. With breakthroughs like DeepMind’s AlphaFold, recently awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, predicting these structures is now faster and more accurate than ever.
For the food industry, the impact is immediate: from stabilising emulsions in sauces to improving the texture of plant-based meat and enhancing fermentation processes. As ML6 engineer Martin Schwersensky explains, AI gives food companies a “virtual playground” to simulate and optimise proteins before running costly lab experiments. The result: faster R&D cycles, lower costs, and products with better texture, taste, and stability.