Imagindairy: Animal-free dairy proteins
Animal-free dairy co Imagindairy - one of a new breed of startups producing dairy proteins via precision fermentation – is aiming to bring beta-lactoglobulin (whey protein) to the US market next year, said co-founder and CEO Dr. Eyal Afergan.
“We use filamentous fungi and yeast as expression systems. We started with [whey protein] beta-lactoglobulin, but we are aiming to develop the whole range of milk proteins, including casein proteins and [whey protein] alpha lactalbumin.”
Asked about the scale up plan, he said: “First we’ll work with a CMO to scale up, and we are working on a GRAS determination and targeting next year to launch in the US market with beta lactoglobulin, and then later on, we'll build our own facility.”
As to whether it’s more efficient to produce dairy proteins in plants or microbes, he said much depends on the downstream processing: “In our case, we designed our organism to secrete the protein into the media, so [the downstream process is] a very simple separation. Another advantage is that we’re growing in a very controlled environment.”
He added: “We believe we have the technology that will allow us to play in the b2b business, building partnerships with dairy and big CPG companies, who have the resources and the understanding of the consumer.”
As for feedstocks, said Dr Afergan, who has raised $28m to date and now employs just over 20 people, “We can move from one carbon and nitrogen source to another. Our conversion rate of carbon is almost 100% whereas cows are so inefficient. But if you want to reach prosperity, you better be close to a cheap carbon and nitrogen source.”
As for the term ‘animal-free’ dairy, he said, “At the moment, this is the language that most of the industry uses, although I'm not sure it is right. It’s one of the challenges for the industry, along with where to put these products on the shelf? In the plant-based section? In the dairy section? Or in a new section?”
