Clean Food Group (CFG) has raised £2.5 million to accelerate the commercial launch of its precision fermentation-derived, non-GMO alternative to palm oil by 2025.

Chris Chuck – Yeast alternative to palm oil © University of Bath

Clean Food Group Secures £2.5M to Launch Non-GMO Alternative to Palm Oil by 2025

UK-based biotech firm Clean Food Group (CFG) has raised £2.5 million to accelerate the commercial launch of its yeast-derived, non-GMO alternative to palm oil by 2025. Said to be equivalent to high-oleic palm oil, CFG’s go-to-market product is designed as a drop-in ingredient suitable for baked goods, confectionery, and cosmetics applications. CFG believes it can introduce its novel food product to the UK and EU markets, as the regulatory process for non-GMOs is less strict than that for genetically modified foods. The UK VC Clean Growth Fund, which supports climate tech businesses that reduce carbon emissions and tackle the climate crisis, made this significant investment in CFG — bringing the company’s total raised funds to £13 million.  So far, CFG has received funding from the cell ag-focused VC …

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PoLoPo unveils its SuperAA plant molecular farming platform already deployed in potato plants at a greenhouse scale.

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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 packaged foods for its functional properties, presents an affordable alternative to the industry amidst increasing egg prices and supply chain disruptions.  On the other hand, a patatin powder offers allergen-free protein suitable for various food products, from plant-based alternatives, such as DUG potato milk, to sports nutrition and nutraceuticals. Plant molecular farming is also used …

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Dr Charli Kruse

Dr Charli Kruse © CellTec Systems

CellTec Systems: “Whether it is Slaughtered or Cultured Meat Will Probably Make No Difference to the Consumer in Terms of Sensory Experience”

The Lübeck-based company CellTec Systems sees itself as the first German full-service provider for industrial cell production. Anyone wanting to get into cellular agriculture can obtain all the building blocks for production here: Cells, nutrient solution, bioreactors, and even training and consultancy services. What makes the company, which is a spin-off of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the University of Lübeck, so special is its 25 years of expertise in cell cultivation. CellTec Systems has also developed a special bioreactor with hydrogel capsules designed to cover the immense space requirements of dividing cells. Professor Dr Charli Kruse, co-founder and scientific director of CellTec Systems, talks to us in an interview about why he describes his colleagues and himself as cell whisperers, how the patented reactor with hydrogel …

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Cultivated meat startup Orbillion Bio has raised venture capital funding to develop further its predictive model or "scale-up algorithm" for cultivated meat.

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Orbillion Bio Secures Funds to Cultivate Beef at Scale With Innovative Algorithm

Cultivated meat startup Orbillion Bio has secured venture capital funding to develop further its predictive model or “scale-up algorithm” for cultivated meat and bring a product to the market “within a year’s time.” Specializing in cultivating heritage breed meats like Wagyu, elk, and lamb, Orbillion is currently focusing on creating a ground beef product that merges cultivated meat with plant-based ingredients to provide a “tasty, nutritious product at the price of conventionally produced meat,” Orbillion CEO Patricia Bubner, told Cultivated X. The Venture Collective led the funding round, with co-leadership from At One Ventures. YCombinator, Metaplanet, and other prominent global food investors backed the company’s cultivated meat algorithm. This capital brings the startup’s total raised funds to $15 million. The algorithm for cultivated meat Instead of solely …

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Crepes filled with animal-free cream

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Imagindairy and Ginkgo Bioworks Receive Grant to Accelerate the Launch of Cow-Free Dairy Proteins

Israeli animal-free dairy protein developer Imagindairy and Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), a Boston-based biotech specializing in cell programming, announce a partnership to accelerate the introduction of a new wave of cow-free dairy. A joint grant from the Board of Governors of the Israel-US Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation has partly funded the companies’s multiyear program to commercialize non-whey dairy proteins. The collaboration will leverage Ginkgo Bioworks’ Protein Expression Services and Imagindairy’s process development and scale-up expertise to develop and manufacture animal-free whey cost-effectively to reach prices similar to dairy proteins.  Ginkgo is also working with the Chicago-based alt-seafood producer Aqua Cultured Foods to improve the economics and functions of its microbial strains for large-scale operations. Jennifer Wipf, CEO at Ginkgo Bioworks, shares, “Being awarded …

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Aqua Cultured scallop

Image courtesy of Aqua Cultured

Aqua Cultured Foods Partners with Ginkgo Bioworks To Elevate Scallop and Tuna Alternatives

Today, Aqua Cultured Foods, specializing in alternative seafood production through microbial fermentation, has announced a partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks, a cell programming and biosecurity company. This collaboration seeks to refine and enhance the production process of Aqua’s fish-free seafood products, which have been developed to mimic the texture, taste, and appearance of fresh-caught seafood. Based in Chicago, Aqua Cultured Foods has been developing seafood alternatives using a patent-pending fermentation technique and a blend of microbes, fibers, and plant-derived flavors to replicate the umami profile and buttery texture characteristic of oceanic seafood. Its inaugural products, tuna, and scallop alternatives, are said to retain their quality for up to six weeks. The company first began public tastings of its beta alternative tuna, shrimp, and scallops this time …

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Marissa Bronfman Future Ocean Foods

Marissa Bronfman © Future Ocean Foods

Future Ocean Foods: “We See Innovation and Entrepreneurship as Main Drivers of Meaningful Change for Our Oceans”

Future Ocean Foods (FOF) was launched in November 2023 by Marissa Bronfman, serial entrepreneur and business advisor within the plant-based food space, with the aim of supporting and accelerating the alternative seafood industry worldwide. The organization currently represents a coalition of 36 pioneering companies from 14 countries, encompassing a range of technologies including plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated food and technology, united in a mission to promote food security, human health, environmental sustainability, and ocean conservation. It was a pleasure to catch up again with Marissa, who outlines some of the key areas in which FOF is working to create meaningful change. Change that we urgently need as our population increases to a catastrophic number of human beings while the population of our oceans hits crisis …

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The Protein Brewery's flagship mycelium ingredient has received novel food approval in Singapore.

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The Protein Brewery Receives Novel Food Regulatory Approval for Mycelium Protein in Singapore

Dutch fermentation specialist The Protein Brewery announces it has received regulatory approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for its flagship mycelium-derived ingredient Fermotein. The approval will enable the company to import, manufacture, and sell Fermotien or products containing it while expanding its operations in the country. Singapore has emerged as a hub for alternative proteins since the SFA set ambitious targets to produce 30% of the nation’s nutritional needs locally by 2030. As part of this strategy, the country seeks to incorporate safe, novel foods and ingredients that promise nutritional and sustainable benefits. The Finish biotech Solar Foods has also received approval in Singapore, where it recently debuted a chocolate bar made with an air protein called Solein. CEO Sue Garfitt comments: “The Protein Brewery …

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CellAg Germany lecture course

© CellAg Deutschland e.V.

CellAg Germany Invites You to a Series of Online Lectures on Cellular Agriculture

The online lecture series on cellular agriculture with scientific contributions and insights from the industry is aimed at all interested parties, especially students. The recurring online lectures are held by experts from industry and science to provide an introduction to theory and practice in equal measure – from the technical functionality and consumer acceptance to the challenges and potentials of the industry. The lecture series takes place weekly online, every Monday from 18:30-20:00 from 22.04. to 17.06.2024. Participation is free of charge and requires no prior knowledge of cellular agriculture. CellAg Germany is a platform and contact point for cellular agriculture in German-speaking countries. The independent and non-profit organisation informs and connects people and interest groups from science, politics, business, and NGOs. By providing independent …

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Innocent Meat, a startup pioneering the production of cultivated meat in Germany, announces that it has secured €3 million in financing despite the "challenging market environment."

© Innocent Meat

Innocent Meat Raises €3M for Automated “Plug-and-Produce” Solution for Cultivated Meat

Innocent Meat, a startup pioneering the production of cultivated meat in Germany, announces that it has secured €3 million in financing despite the “challenging market environment.” Anchor investor Venture Capital Fonds MV supported the startup with €500 thousand, and a new undisclosed private investor invested €2.5 million.  In 2020, Laura Gertenbach and Patrick Nonnenmache co-founded Innocent Meat with the goal of transforming meat production through cell-based methods. The company is working on creating an automated plug-and-produce solution for cultivated meat to help meat producers transition to this innovative technology. With the fresh capital, the startup will further develop the existing biocomponents, scale up its pilot plant, and initiate the necessary certification processes. Stem cells and FBS-free serum Innocent Meat’s model will offer food producers access …

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A bowl with algae oil

© Checkerspot

Checkerspot and AAK to Produce Novel, Climate Change-Resistent Oils from Microalgae & Precision Fermentation

California’s Checkerspot and the Swedish company AAK have announced a partnership to develop, scale, and commercially produce novel algae oils for meat alternatives, plant-based food, and personal care products. Checkerspot makes renewable oils using microalgae and precision fermentation for materials and food, and AKK specializes in value-adding vegetable oils for food, confectionery, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. With this initiative, both companies aim to provide a sustainable alternative source of structuring fats and oils that can be manufactured at scale and are resistant to the impacts of climate change. Structuring fats and oils are used for products with healthier nutritional profiles, less fat, and better emulsion capabilities, including alt meat and bakery. Scott Franklin, co-founder & CSO of Checkerspot, shared: “Our team at Checkerspot is able to …

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Michael Newton of Qorium

Michael Newton. © Qorium

Qorium: “Our Product Creates Consistent, Beautiful, and Easily Workable Leather”

Founded in 2014, Dutch biotech startup Qorium is developing cultivated leather to provide an ethical and sustainable alternative to animal leather with no compromises on performance. The company’s technology enables the development of leather alternatives with consistent quality and adjustable properties. The result is a premium material with dramatically reduced carbon emissions and waste compared to conventional leather. In 2021, Qorium raised €2.6 million to scale up its technology. The company then announced earlier this year that it had secured further funding as part of its journey towards commercial scale, and revealed it had appointed former Nike senior executive Michael Newton as CEO. We spoke to Newton to find out more about Qorium’s technology and its benefits. What challenges does Qorium face in terms of …

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Meatable hot dog

Image courtesy of Meatable

Meatable Slashes Production Time for Cultivated Pork: Cell to Sausage in Four Days

Cultivated pork producer Meatable announces a new production milestone: from cell to sausage in “only four days”. This new record surpasses the company’s previous eight-day process, making it the quickest cell-cultivating method in the world, the company claims. “This process is 60 times faster than traditional pig farming and involves nothing more than pulling a single cell once from a pig without causing harm,” says the Dutch startup. A record-speed platform To turn cells into a product more quickly than other methods of cultivating meat, Meatable has developed a cost-effective platform using pluripotent stem cells (known for their self-renewal capacity and fast proliferation) and a technology called opti-ox™ developed by co-founder Dr. Mark Kotter.   This platform replicates the natural growth of cells, allowing them to differentiate …

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Image courtesy of Ivy Farm

The UK’s Food Standards Agency Agrees on Reforms to Streamline Approval Process for Novel Foods

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) is set to modernise its regulatory procedure for cultivated meat and precision fermentation-derived foods to remove unnecessary delays in bringing these products to market.  At a recent board meeting, the FSA agreed upon new reforms that will apply to ‘regulated products,’ which include different food and feed products such as flavorings, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and novel foods (foods that have no history of consumption).  Streamlining the process One of the fundamental changes proposed by the FSA is the creation of a new public register of regulated products to streamline the process of approving new products for the market. As explained by the Good Food Institute Europe, currently, a Statutory Instrument must be presented before a new product can …

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GEA unveils a new technology called perfusion, which includes the use of pilot scale bioreactors and a machine for rejuvenating the grown media.

Image courtesy of GEA

GEA Unveils “Technological Milestone” for Food Biomanufacturing, Cutting Production Costs of Alt Proteins

GEA, a global leader in engineering systems for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries, is unveiling what it claims to be a “technological milestone” — the perfusion platform — at the Anuga FoodTec trade show in Cologne, Germany. The perfusion platform consists of the GEA Axenic-line bioreactors and the GEA kytero single-use separator, designed to enhance productivity and cost efficiency in cell cultivation and precision fermentation. The technology promises to level the price difference between conventional and alternative foods. Tatjana Krampitz, Head of New Food Technology Management at GEA, comments, “We see perfusion as one of the most promising technologies because it cuts the production cost of alternative proteins on several fronts.”  Separating the cells GEA’s perfusion technology separates cells from already depleted nutrient solution and …

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Strive FREEMILK Whole, an alternative milk crafted with Perfect Day's whey protein, has launched in partnership with Florida coffee roasters Oceana Coffee at the 2024 Miami Open.

Image courtesy of Strive FREEMILK

Strive Milk is Served at the Miami Open, Becoming First Animal-Free Milk at Major Sporting Event

Strive FREEMILK Whole, an alternative milk crafted with Perfect Day‘s sustainable whey protein, is being served in partnership with Florida coffee roasters Oceana Coffee at the 2024 Miami Open. This launch represents the first animal-free milk made with precision fermentation protein served at a major sporting event, marking a huge milestone for the alt dairy category, gaining mainstream visibility and recognition beyond just being available online or in stores. Strive Nutrition Corp., the company behind Strive FREEMILK, states that its “milk-like” product will revolutionize the coffee experience at the Miami Open thanks to its rich flavor, high protein content, sustainability, and ethical standards. MichaelAnn Cohlmia, Creative Director at Strive Nutrition, shared, “We are thrilled to introduce Strive FREEMILK to the tennis fans and coffee enthusiasts …

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Four cows in a field

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Toronto Startups AuX Labs & Genuine Taste Join BioCreate Accelerator to Create Alternatives to Cheese and Beef

Two cutting-edge biotech startups from Ontario, Canada — AuX Labs and Genuine Taste — have been selected to join BioCreate, an accelerator program that supports innovative companies in the health, food, agriculture, and cleantech sectors. AuX Lab was founded in 2021 by Ted Jin to create affordable bioidentical animal proteins using precision fermentation and engineered yeasts. The company is working to develop yeast strains with high protein-yielding capabilities and a bioprocess fueled by low-cost feedstocks established in “capital-light” fermentation facilities.  AuX Lab’s first protein — milk casein — is used to create animal-free cheese with the same taste and melting and stretching functionalities as dairy cheese. The startup has raised $3 million in a seed round from investors Bluestein Ventures, Congruent Ventures, and Flying Fish Partners. Meanwhile, Genuine …

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BAIA Honey Panna Cotta

©BAIA/ MeliBio

MeliBio Partners with Pow.Bio to Advance Bee-Free Honey Through Precision Fermentation

MeliBio, a pioneering company in the production of bee-free honey, today announces a strategic collaboration with Pow.Bio to escalate precision fermentation capabilities. This partnership is set to further innovate the production of high-value bee proteins and enzymes, targeting the expansive global market for functional food ingredients. The collaboration leverages Pow.Bio’s expertise in both traditional and innovative continuous fermentation technology, incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize the fermentation process. This technological advancement is expected to commence this month, marking a critical phase in MeliBio’s scale-up efforts. MeliBio is at the forefront of creating honey products that do not rely on bees, thereby addressing the environmental impact on bee populations and promoting biodiversity. The company’s R&D team has completed initial proof of concept work, demonstrating the viability …

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The European Commission has published a new communication, Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU.

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EU Commission Proposes Ambitious Biotech Initiative, Including Key Actions for Alt Proteins

The European Commission has published a new initiative, Building the Future with Nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU, that summarises the sector’s challenges and proposes a line of actions to address these barriers in different industries, such as agriculture, health, marine biotech, and food and feed among others. According to the Good Food Institute Europe‘s policy team, the document provides three key actions pertinent to Europe’s alternative protein sector, as follows. Firstly, the document emphasises the importance of fostering public and private investments in biotechnology through the European Innovation Council’s accelerator program. It suggests including specific biotech-related challenges in the program to support innovative technologies and solutions. Furthermore, the document mentions exploring new investment support options from the European Investment Bank to boost …

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Oobli, a Sweet protein developer from California, formerly Joywell Foods, has received what it claims to be the FDA's first "No questions" letter for a brazzein protein made with precision fermentation.

© Oobli

Oobli Receives FDA No Questions Letter for Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein Made with Precision Fermention

Oobli, formerly Joywell Foods, a sweet protein developer from California, USA, announces that it has received what it claims to be the FDA’s first “No questions” letter for its brazzein protein made with precision fermentation. The US Food and Drug Administration letter confirms Oobli’s self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status for Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein and supports its use as a food and beverage ingredient in the USA. Ali Wing, CEO of Oobli, shares, “The “No questions” letter from the FDA is a further testament to the strong potential that sweet proteins have to disrupt our global dependence on sugar and alternative sweeteners. The Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein can be safely used in various foods with support from the general scientific community and the …

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