France’s Nutropy Raises €7M for Industrialization of Animal-Free Dairy Proteins
Nutropy, a French food tech company producing dairy proteins such as casein through precision fermentation, has raised €7 million in an oversubscribed funding round. The round was led by the Greek fund Big Pi Ventures and the UK fund Zero Carbon Capital, with participation from Beta Lab, Wyngate Inc., Desai Ventures, PVS Investments, and Novax (the growth investment arm of Axel Johnson). Nutropy has also received public financial support through …
Standing Ovation and Bel Group Achieve Milestone with Industrial-Scale Production of Caseins from Whey
A recent collaboration between French biotech company Standing Ovation and Bel Group has led to the successful industrial-scale production of caseins derived from dairy serums. This process, which utilizes precision fermentation, is a significant development for the dairy industry, demonstrating the feasibility of a more sustainable and circular approach to dairy production. A circular approach to dairy Standing Ovation’s patented technology transforms acid whey—a by-product of cheese production—into high-quality caseins, …
Danish Scientists Achieve Phosphorylation of Animal-Free Casein, Paving the Way for Better Dairy Alternatives
While several companies and research teams have now developed animal-free caseins using precision fermentation, an important part of the process has previously been missing. To be used in products such as cheese alternatives, caseins need to undergo a process called phosphorylation, where phosphate groups are added to them. This allows the caseins to bind to calcium compounds, forming particles called micelles. Previous attempts to achieve the phosphorylation of animal-free caseins …
Standing Ovation and Tetra Pak Partner to Scale Alternative Dairy Proteins
French biotechnology firm Standing Ovation and global food processing leader Tetra Pak® have formed a new partnership focused on optimizing the industrial production of alternative caseins via precision fermentation. The collaboration follows Standing Ovation’s previous agreement with Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE), which granted access to AFE’s large-scale manufacturing capabilities for the development of alternative protein production. The new alliance with Tetra Pak will support Standing Ovation’s efforts to refine its …
21st.BIO Engineers Safer Fungal Strain for Protein Production, Calls for EU Regulatory Reform
Biotech firm 21st.BIO has developed a new strain of Aspergillus oryzae, a filamentous fungus commonly used in fermentation, that has been engineered to remove all known pathways for producing mycotoxins — potentially harmful compounds sometimes found in fungi. The new strain, described in a peer-reviewed study published in Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, was designed to avoid producing substances such as aflatoxins and other unwanted byproducts. It also eliminates the genes …
New Culture’s Animal-Free Mozzarella Sparks $5M in Early Demand from Pizzerias Nationwide
Animal-free dairy company New Culture has secured more than $5 million in early demand for its mozzarella from pizza chefs and restaurant operators across the United States. The company’s product, made using precision fermentation rather than traditional dairy sources, is expected to launch at select pizzerias, starting with Los Angeles-based Pizzeria Mozza. The company has engaged with pizzerias ranging from independent operators to national chains, conducting product tastings and receiving …
Fermify Becomes First to Submit Regulatory Dossier for Animal-Free Casein in Singapore
Vienna-based precision fermentation company Fermify has submitted a regulatory dossier for its animal-free casein to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). The submission represents a step toward commercializing its dairy protein alternative in the Asian market. The company, which focuses on sustainable dairy production without the use of animals, previously submitted its casein dossier to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2024, where it achieved self-affirmed Generally Recognized …
Tokyo’s Kinish Raises $800,000 USD to Scale Rice-Based Casein Production
Tokyo-based food tech startup Kinish Inc. has secured $800,000 USD (¥120 million) in a seed funding round to advance its rice-based dairy alternative technology. The funding was led by Genesia Ventures, Lifetime Ventures, Full Commit Partners, and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital. Kinish is working to develop a rice-based source of casein, the key protein found in milk, using plant molecular agriculture. The company’s goal is to create plant-based dairy alternatives that …
New Culture Submits Animal-Free Mozzarella Product Label to California Department of Food and Agriculture
Animal-free dairy producer New Culture has submitted the product label and registration for its mozzarella to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). It is believed to be the first time a label for a product made with animal-free casein has been submitted to the department for review. Produced using precision fermentation, New Culture’s casein enables animal-free cheeses to melt, stretch, bubble, and brown. Traditional cheesemaking techniques are used …
Hochland Group Partners with Those Vegan Cowboys to Develop Animal-Free Cheese Using Microbial Casein
German cheese producer Hochland Group has entered a joint development agreement with Belgian-Dutch company Those Vegan Cowboys to explore the production of animal-free cheese using microbial casein. The collaboration will focus on scaling up the cow-free milk protein for use in semi-hard and hard cheese varieties. Microbial casein, developed through precision fermentation, replicates the functional properties of traditional animal-derived casein, such as melting and stretching, while offering environmental benefits. In …