PoLoPo Expands Lab Capacity, Completes Successful Outdoor Field Trial of Protein-Producing Potatoes
PoLoPo, a company specializing in molecular farming, has announced two key developments: a successful field trial producing five tons of protein-rich potatoes and the expansion of its lab capabilities to meet growing demand for protein samples. The company’s trial, which exceeded initial expectations by yielding approximately five tons of potatoes—two tons more than anticipated—marks a significant milestone in its efforts to scale production of functional proteins. These potatoes are engineered …
European Union Approves Patent for EVERY’s Precision-Fermented Egg White Protein
The EVERY Company (EVERY), a biotech firm specializing in fermentation-based protein ingredients, has been awarded a European Union patent for its recombinant ovalbumin product. This development extends EVERY’s intellectual property (IP) portfolio into a significant new market, complementing its existing patents in the United States, Finland, Germany, Denmark, and Great Britain. The European patent, numbered 4017287, protects an ingredient composition containing recombinant ovalbumin for use in food products. Recombinant ovalbumin, …
PoLoPo Moves to Field Cultivation of Bioengineered Protein Potatoes, Boosting Capacity to Three Tons
Molecular farming startup PoLoPo has transitioned from greenhouse-scale production to large-scale field cultivation of genetically modified potatoes engineered to produce high levels of protein, including ovalbumin, a key component of egg protein. This move increases the company’s production capacity from tens of kilograms to an estimated three tons per harvest. PoLoPo’s protein-producing potato plants are part of the company’s proprietary approach to molecular farming. The plants are engineered through metabolic …
PoLoPo and CSM Ingredients Partner to Develop Price-Stable Egg Protein Powder for the Baking Industry
PoLoPo, a molecular farming startup that grows proteins in potatoes, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the global ingredient-tech company CSM Ingredients to develop egg protein powder for baking applications. Commercial baking uses ovalbumin, the main protein in egg whites, extensively in many products, from croissants to donuts. However, constant avian flu outbreaks are disrupting egg production and the supply chain, leading to rising egg prices and instability. The collaboration …
The EVERY Company Secures Patent for Fermented Ovalbumin — the Key Protein Behind its Animal-Free Ingredients
San Francisco-based The Every Company has been granted a new patent (US 12/096,784 ) covering the scope and use of its precision fermentation-derived ovalbumin. The scope of the patent includes wild-type ovalbumin variants with performance enhancements and extends to ovalbumin sourced from various avian species, produced using yeast and fungal strains like Pichia, Trichoderma, Saccharomyces, and Aspergillus. The patent covers the use of the novel protein in a wide range of food …
Unexpected Demand for Affordable Patatin Pushes Molecular Farming Startup PoLoPo to Prioritize Product Launch
Molecular farming startup PoLoPo announces that it will start supplying one of its flagship proteins, patatin, for F&B products to commercial clients, pending USDA’s regulatory approval. The Israeli startup has developed a platform to grow the egg protein ovalbumin, widely used in the food industry, and patatin in large volumes in potato tubers, securing a lower cost. As explained by the startup, patatin, the native protein of potatoes, is expected to …
10 Molecular Farming Startups Transforming Everyday Plants into Protein Powerhouses
Today, we bring you a roundup of molecular farming startups transforming plants into biofactories to produce alternatives to animal proteins, pigments, next-gen sweeteners, and growth factors. Plant molecular farming, an additional production approach to plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation, promises unlimited and cost-effective ingredients for food and other industries. Since it doesn’t require expensive infrastructure and bioreactors — only the magic of plants and bioengineering — existing greenhouses and fields can become ingredient factories, ensuring …
PoLoPo Seeks USDA Approval, Says Production of Egg Proteins in “Plants, Not Animals, Will Set Off a Domino Effect in Sustainability”
Israeli agrifood startup PoLoPo announces it has initiated the regulatory approval process to grow egg proteins in genetically modified potatoes in the USA. PoLoPo explains that it has applied for a Regulatory Status Review (RSR) to the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to review its molecular farming platform called Super AA. The approval process evaluates whether GMO potatoes are as safe for agriculture and do …
PoLoPo Unveils Molecular Farming Platform in Potato Plants to Grow Egg Proteins
Last year, the Israeli agrifood startup PoLoPo raised $2.3 million, including $1.75 million in a pre-seed funding round to further develop its plant molecular farming technology for producing animal proteins in potatoes. Now, the startup unveils its molecular farming platform, SuperAA, already deployed in potato plants at a greenhouse scale. The initial focus of PoLoPo’s platform will be producing two key proteins: ovalbumin and patatin (the natural protein in potatoes). Ovalbumin, widely used in …