Patents

Planted fermented steak

© Planted Foods AG
R&D

European Alternative Protein Patents Increase by 960% in a Decade

A new analysis by GFI Europe has found that patent publications by European alternative protein innovators have seen a huge 960% surge over the past decade. Over 5,000 alternative protein patents have now been published by European organisations, with the publication rate growing by an average of 32% per year. 1,191 patents were published in 2024, compared to just 124 in 2015. Despite this, GFI says many technologies remain overlooked and more open-access research is needed. Plant-based foods dominate Plant-based foods dominate the research, accounting for almost 4,000 patents (74% of the total number). However, GFI says some areas are still neglected, such as breeding better protein crops to provide the raw ingredients for plant-based products. A much smaller number of patents has been published …

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Heura opens new innovation laboratory

© Heura
Company News

Heura Opens New Innovation Laboratory, Plans to Register Six Patents in 2025

Spanish food tech company Heura has announced the opening of a new innovation laboratory in the 22@ technological district of Barcelona. The laboratory’s increased capacity will allow for the integration of scientific disciplines and the promotion of technological transfer. It will be used to further Heura’s work to develop healthy and sustainable food solutions. Heura has also announced plans to register six new patents over the next nine months, with the aim of offering products with “an unprecedented impact and nutritional density in the most consumed food categories”. The company will continue to expand beyond the plant-based meat category, in line with the prototypes for healthier plant-based cheese, pasta, and snacks it unveiled last October. The new patents will focus on replacing additives, modified starches, …

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The EVERY Company macaroons

© The EVERY Company
Approvals

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, a protein that mimics the primary functional protein found in egg whites, plays a critical role in food applications due to its foaming, binding, gelling, and nutritive properties. Arturo Elizondo, EVERY’s co-founder and CEO, stated, “Having our technology and product recognized as novel by the patent offices in both the US and European Union, two …

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A close up of a man's hands tearing apart a piece of 3D printer plant-based beef steak to show the muscle-like fibres.

© Steakholder Foods
Market & Trends

Slowdown in Patent Applications for Cultivated & Plant-Based Meat Signals Levelling After Hype Cycle Peak

Analyses by IP firm Appleyard Lees reveal that patent applications for cultivated meat have plateaued following a period of significant growth, while plant-based meat patent applications have fallen for the first time since 2013. While the slowdown in patent applications is likely to be piggybacked by those keen to portray alternative protein as failing or on its knees, these findings can be viewed effectively through the lens of the Gartner Hype Cycle. Due to the unprecedented food disruption that took place at the peak of the hype cycle, a slowdown in the speed of innovation in the food industry is absolutely inevitable. Future innovations are expected to focus on incremental improvements and stricter vetting, potentially enhancing long-term success, explained Rabobank last year. The trough of …

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San Francisco-based The EVERY Co. has been granted a new patent (US 12/096,784 ) covering the scope and use of its precision fermentation-derived ovalbumin.

© The Every Company
Company News

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 formulations if combined with at least one additional consumable ingredient (flour, sugar, fats). It spans diverse product formats, such as baked goods, meat, meat analogs, ready-to-eat egg products, whipped cream, ice cream, meringues, and more. It also addresses functional applications, including hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness, and foam stability in both liquid and powder forms. Co-founder …

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MeliBio honey close up

© MeliBio

Company News

MeliBio Secures Patent for Plant-Based Honey in Germany, Bee-Free Products to Reach More EU Consumers

San Francisco-based MeliBio announces it has secured a utility model registration for its “Plant-Based Honey Composition” from the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA). The registration protects the company’s novel method of replicating honey’s complexity using only plant-based ingredients, reinforcing “MeliBio’s pioneering role in advancing alternative honey production technologies that challenge the status quo of the traditional honey industry,” the startup said in the announcement. The company explains that ‘utility models’ in Germany offer quicker registration and immediate protection than conventional patents, ensuring MeliBio’s technology is safeguarded as it innovates. MeliBio states, “The registration is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the MeliBio team, empowering the company to explore further collaborations, expand product offerings, and increase its impact on the food tech …

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Armored Fresh Melty Vegan Cheeses

© Armored Fresh

Company News

Armored Fresh Files Patent for Plant-Based Grated Cheese, Vegan Parmesan Arriving This Fall

Zero-dairy food tech company Armored Fresh, known for its fermented almond and oat-based cheeses, continues to innovate in manufacturing to create products that rival the taste and texture of traditional dairy cheese. The South Korean company operating in the US announces that it has filed a new patent for a technology that mimics the process of grating traditional hard-aged cheese. Instead of using the standard spray-drying process for grated plant-based cheese, which involves a liquid mixture that is then atomized into particles, the food tech company creates cheese blocks and physically grates them. This method achieves a more authentic taste and texture, explains the company. Rudy Yoo, founder and CEO of Armored Fresh, shares, “With this patented process, Armored Fresh will continue to prove that …

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Plant-based meat by Fuji Oil

© Fuji Oil
Protein

Fuji Oil, Amano Enzyme & Nissin Foods Lead Japan’s Surge in Alt Protein Patent Rankings

By embracing innovation, Japanese companies are expanding their foothold in the alternative protein market. Nikkei Asia and the Tokyo-based research firm Patent Result analyzed a report on patents filed by companies and research institutions, giving each a score based on its value. Their analysis shows that three firms—Fuji Oil, Amano Enzyme, and Nissin Foods Holdings—ranked the 2nd, 6th, and 16th spots (as of April 2024) in the top 20 list of worldwide organizations filing patents related to technologies and methods to produce alternatives to animal products. What are these patents for? Fuji Oil According to Nikkei, the soy-protein innovator Fuji Oil holds patents for making plant-based butter and cheese. Fuji Oil employs a patented specialized Ultra Soy Separation process to make plant-based cheese and create low-fat soy …

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Creativity and new ideas in business. Art collage.

© svetazi-stock.adobe.com
Politics & Law

Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part 4: Why Patents Are Not the Safest Way to Protect Your Food Innovation

Mathilde Do Chi is the CEO of Vegan Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this fourth installment of this special series, Mathilde discusses the limitations and dangers around patents in food innovation. Why Patents Are Not the Solution for Protecting Food Innovation In the realm of food innovation, the question of how best to protect novel ideas and creations arises. Having worked with a lot of investors …

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Chickpea flour in a bowl and a bag of raw chickpeas

© Supplant Foods
Manufacturing & Technology

India’s Supplant Foods Secures Patent for Functional and Flavorless Chickpea Flour

Supplant Foods, a company based in India that sources, processes, and markets high-quality plant-based ingredients, announces that it has secured a patent for a method to produce a high-performance chickpea flour for plant-based alternatives and gluten-free foods. Developed by Supplant Foods’ team of researchers and experts, the patented process enhances the functionality of chickpea protein, effectively eliminates the compounds responsible for undesired off-flavors, and removes the color, expanding its use for food and beverages. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, Supplant Foods has access to raw materials and low-cost quality manufacturing, allowing it to create a long-term, sustained value chain of sustainable products. The company has distribution partners in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, and Australia, in addition to India.   The taste challenge Despite the health and sustainability …

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Pluri announces that it has secured a patent from the Israel Patent Office for its System for its 3D bioreactor plant cells technology.

© Pluri
Company News

Pluri Receives First-Ever Patent for 3D Bioreactor Technology in Plant Cell Cultivation

Pluri (Nasdaq:PLUR) (TASE:PLUR), parent company of the recently launched cell-based coffee biotech PluriAgtech, announces that it has secured a patent from the Israel Patent Office for its “System for 3D Cultivation of Plant Cells and Methods of Use.” Pluri claims this is the first-ever patent approval for 3D bioreactor technology in plant cell cultivation. Pluri’s 3D technology enables the cultivation of plant cells in bioreactors to develop sustainable and disease-free plant material for various sectors, from sustainable agriculture to healthcare.   According to the company,  approximately one-fifth of the 50,000 medical plants used today are on a list of threatened species, while climate change and restricted access to fresh water threaten temperature-sensitive crops such as coffee and cacao. Yaky Yanay, Pluri’s CEO and President, commented: “PluriAgtech’s patented …

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Veg of Lund applies for Swedish patent

Eva Tornberg. © Veg of Lund
Company News

Veg of Lund Applies for Swedish Patent for Plant-Based Meat Alternative

Veg of Lund — a Swedish company best known for its potato-based alt milk brand, DUG — has applied for a Swedish patent for a plant-based alternative to red and white meat. The company says it is in ongoing commercial discussions with various partners, and the patent will help to secure its position. It is unclear what the new meat alternatives will be made from. Veg of Lund’s patent portfolio already includes patents for DUG milk alternatives in Europe, the US, and Canada, along with potato-based smoothies, cream, and ice cream in Sweden. “The patent for the meat analogue is extensive and I am proud of our fundamental development work. The patent secures our unique competence and is important when we are going to commercialise …

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DUG lifestyle lady pouring milk cereal

© DUG
Company News

Veg of Lund Receives US Patent for DUG’s Vegan Potato Emulsion

Swedish plant-based company Veg of Lund announces it has received patent approval from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its vegan potato emulsion used in its DUG potato drinks. The patent protection will cover the entire US market. Veg of Lund’s patent portfolio includes protection for potato ice cream covering the Swedish market and a patent for the improved recipe of its award-winning DUG drink in Sweden, Europe, and Canada. Additionally, the Swedish company has active patent applications in Australia, China, India, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.  “We are pleased to note that a patent is also being approved for the American market for our unique vegetable milk alternatives,” says Eva Tornberg, founder of Veg of Lund. Tornberg founded …

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Nestle Maggi Veg

© Nestle
Products & Launches

Nestlé Announces New Shelf-Stable Line in Chile After Registering 333 Plant-Based Patent Applications

Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, is expanding its plant-based portfolio with the launch of a range of shelf-stable plant-based meat products for the Chilean market. These new items, launched under the brand name Maggi Veg, are certified vegan and include the company’s first shelf-stable plant-based mince meat made from soy.  The launch is part of Nestlé’s efforts to expand its plant-based offerings and give consumers more options for affordable alternatives to meat. The new product line bulks out the company’s plant-based portfolio, which features plant-based eggs, chocolate, and plant-based toddler milk. “We continue launching plant-based products in many regions of the world to offer people tasty, nutritious alternatives to meat that they can enjoy with family and friends,” said Torsten Pohl, Global …

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ProVeg NFH product developer piece

Image: ProVeg International

People

Overcoming Trials as a Plant-Based Product Developer

The food industry is a hard nut to crack at the best of times. Add to that the highly competitive and still immature plant-based sector and you have an even greater challenge. But what if the traditional startup route isn’t the one that’s best suited to you? What if you’re a solo innovator with a stand-out idea, and new to the food industry? Enter Anthony England, PhD Chemist and Product Developer. Dr England is currently developing a plant-based food product that he hopes could change how some consumers perceive eating and nutrition. As a solo innovator, Dr England wants to take his product to the next level of development and eventually, to the mass market. In its latest New Food Hub (NFH) interview, ProVeg International …

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Nestlé and Clextral revoke patent for Ojah's plant protein tech at EPO

© Ojah
Politics & Law

Ojah’s Patent for Transforming Plant Proteins Into Meat Revoked Following Nestlé Appeal

Following an appeal by Nestlé and Clexrtal, the EPO Boards of Appeal (the department of final instance in proceedings before the European Patent Office) have revoked a patent belonging to Dutch alt meat producer Ojah BV this April. Ojah’s patent covers a technology to transform plant-based proteins, such as soy, into meat-like structures.  Clextral is a French machine manufacturer, an expert in twin-screw technology, offering design and testing of industrial solutions, equipment manufacturing, on-site installation maintenance, and improvement services. Big Food conglomerate Nestlé has a broad plant-based portfolio including, Wunda, Garden Gourmet, Plant-Based Milo, Vuna, Vrimp, and Veggie Eggs, among others. The European Patent Office Opposition Division upheld Ojah’s patent in amended form during proceedings in March 2021, with Nestlé and the French company Clextral …

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Marc Coloma and Bernat Ananos, Heura founders

© Heura
Company News

Heura to Unlock “Unprecedented Nutritional Value” With New Patent-Pending Technology

Heura has announced the development of a new patent-pending technology that claims to make it possible to produce plant-based foods with previously unattainable nutritional values. The Spanish food tech startup says it aims to address unresolved challenges in the plant-based industry, creating a “superior sensorial experience with high value nutritional products” and no additives. The new technology — derived from Heura’s Good Rebel Tech platform, which launched last year — is also said to provide a faster and more efficient way to design and process food products. According to Heura, the proprietary technology uses a novel thermomechanical technique, with heat and mechanical energy used to shape or modify a material’s properties. It is one of numerous innovations developed by Heura’s R&D team; another is an …

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Nair Flores

©The EVERY Co.

Company News

The EVERY Co. Appoints Nair Flores, Formerly of Facebook and UPSIDE Foods, to Lead Its IP Strategy

Food tech company The EVERY Co. announces it has appointed legal veteran Nair Flores as the company’s Senior Vice President, Head of Legal. Flores previously served in “seminal” roles at hypergrowth companies like Facebook, Lyft and Upside Foods. In her new role, Flores will lead EVERY’s IP estate as the company scales global production of its alternative proteins.  According to EVERY, the hiring of Flores comes as the company positions itself for key growth milestones for its nature-identical egg products. Flores will be tasked with leading the company’s legal strategy and laying the IP groundwork for EVERY’s expansion.  Flores brings 20 years of experience, most previously as Vice President, Legal at cultivated meat company Upside Foods, where she was instrumental in developing IP infrastructure and …

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office workers image ProVeg

Image: ProVeg International

Politics & Law

How Can I Protect the Intellectual Property of My Plant-Forward Business?

The plant-based space is bursting with innovation, creativity, and inventiveness. But how do you protect the fruits of your labour from being stolen or copied as a plant-forward business? ProVeg International recently published an article on their latest webinar, ‘An Introduction to Intellectual Property’ (IP), which explores the importance for plant-forward businesses to protect their IP and how to do so.  During the eye-opening webinar, ProVeg partnered with Withers and Rogers, a leading UK and European firm of patent and trademark attorneys with an active base in the food and drink market. The Withers and Rogers experts who participated were Partner and Chartered Trademark Attorney Mark Caddle and Associate Georgia Mann, who, together, head up Withers and Rogers’ specialist food and drink group. Some of …

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steakholder foods banner for patent approval

© Steakholder Foods
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Steakholder Foods Receives Patent Approval for Cultivated Meat Whole Cut Tech in Canada

3D-printed cultivated meat company Steakholder Foods (Nasdaq: STKH) announces it has received approval in Canada for its patent on Physical Manipulation of Cultured Muscle Tissue, a key technology to produce and bring cultivated meat whole cuts to markets. Already approved in the US, Australia, and New Zealand, the patent covers systems and methods for applying external forces to muscle tissue to develop high-quality complex structured meat. A game-changing technology Steakholder Foods CTO, Dan Kozlovski, commented: “Our patented systems and methods for physical manipulation of cultured muscle tissue have been a game changer in the cultivation of structured meat. By strengthening and enhancing the muscle tissues in a way that mimics a cow’s natural development, we can achieve a desired texture that drives consumer preference.” According to …

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