The U.S. dairy industry has made great strides in reducing its environmental impact, producing more milk with less land and less water. But according to “Our World in Data,” overall annual food production still accounts for 26% of greenhouse gas emissions in the world. And half of the world’s habitable land and 70% of global freshwater withdrawals are utilized by agriculture. 

There are more than 8 billion people on the planet, striving to incorporate adequate or optimal protein into their diet. To meet the challenge of nourishing a hungry population while also caring for our planet, several companies are using novel technologies to produce specific dairy proteins out of sugar or air. 

Using genetic engineering, innovative food companies have developed technologies to produce specific proteins that are identical to the proteins that cows produce. These companies typically produce a specific fraction of whey protein, such as beta-lactoglobulin or lactoferrin. The resulting food ingredient is quite different from whey protein produced from cows’ milk, which is a mixture of beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, etc. The resulting ingredient will also not contain the same minerals, fats, and other components that might be present with cow-derived whey. However, the amino acid profile of the animal-free beta-lactoglobulin and the cow-derived beta-lactoglobulin will be identical. 

Food companies use different proprietary technologies and different base source materials. For example, Perfect Day uses heterotrophic microflora that utilize sugar as their base ingredient to create ProFerm, while Solar Foods uses hydrogen oxidizing bacteria that utilize ammonium ions (NH4+) and CO₂ to create Solein. The Solar Foods technology does not rely on the light requirements to produce plants and algae, and thus might place less strain on the planet’s resources. 

Food applications

Perfect Day company was founded in 2014. Its animal-free ingredient can be found in alternative dairy versions of milk, yogurt, cream cheese, and ice cream. Among the products utilizing Perfect Day ingredients are Brave Robot ice cream, Natreve MooLess protein powder, Strive fluid milk alternatives, and Kroger Nurishh animal-free cream cheese spread alternative. Additionally, the Berkeley, Calif.-based company’s functional ingredient ProFerm can be used as an egg replacer, where it performs many of the traditional food functionalities of whey protein including foaming and water-binding. Ty Wagoner, Ph.D., Perfect Day scientist, reported that ingredients from Perfect Day can be found in more than 5,000 stores.

Solar Foods will begin to produce Solein in 2024 at a newly constructed plant in Vantaa, Finland. In 2023, it showcased a Solein gelato in Singapore. Solar Foods and Japanese food manufacturer Ajinomoto recently announced a strategic partnership.  Solein is 65-70% protein, 5-8% fat, 10-15% dietary fiber, and 3-5% mineral nutrients.  The macronutrient composition of Solein cells is very similar to that of dried soy or algae. It provides iron and B vitamins and is considered an exceptionally functional ingredient.

Other companies involved in precision fermentation of dairy proteins include Biomilq (alpha-lactablumin for infant formula), Novel Foods (caseins), Those Belgian Cowboys (casein), Eden Brew (a 4-casein micelle), Canadian-based Opalia (casein), and Israeli-based ImaginDairy and Remilk (whey protein). Danone is an investor in ImaginDairy. Some of these companies may be working on additional dairy protein fractions.

Legal and ethical considerations

As more companies enter the precision fermentation space, some regulatory and ethical considerations will certainly arise. Many companies label these proteins as “animal-free whey protein” or “non-animal whey protein isolate.” These nomenclatures may not be accurate, as these ingredients do not contain the same mix of protein fractions as cow-derived whey. 

Some processing ingredients may draw scrutiny. Opalia, a Canadian foodtech company, announced the elimination of fetal bovine serum, a common component of synthetic cell growth, from its manufacturing process. 

At last year’s Supply Side West, John Fagan, Ph.D., chairman and chief scientist for the Health Research Institute (HRI), noted that through full spectrum molecular analysis HRI had found 92 unknown compounds in animal-free dairy. 

The presence of various compounds that would not be present in cow-derived dairy may create flavor issues. When these dairy proteins are combined with plant-based fats and sugars, there will be unique sensory properties that don’t match traditional dairy. I have tasted quite a few of these products, and in my opinion, most rank below traditional dairy, but better than many plant-based alternatives. 

On the other hand, the absence of dairy fat might positively affect shelf life. Producing dairy proteins without the cow is just one example of modern biotech innovation. The dairy industry has utilized animal-free rennet for many years. Companies are currently producing spider-free silk from plant proteins, which can be woven into fabric, and cow-free leather from fungi, which can be used to create jackets and furniture. A recent white paper by the Hartman Group notes, “Reassuring consumers on safety and taste will be key to driving trial.”