ANIMAL-FREE DAIRY: From the lab to the real world
‘Animal-free’ dairy proteins (made by microbes, not cows visa precision fermentation) have gained traction – with tests now underway at major CPG companies including Nestlé, Mars and General Mills, and a growing number of startups, while several players in the emerging ‘molecular farming’ space are exploring growing everything from heme proteins to casein in plants including soy, corn, and lettuce.
But there has also been pushback from the Non GMO Project, which startups in the space argue is trying to discredit precision fermentation technology by mischaracterizing it as dangerous, unregulated and bad for the environment. Image credit: Perfect Day