21st.BIO has achieved a self-affirmed GRAS status for its beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) ingredient, BLG Essential+.
With this title, the precision fermentation specialist can now launch the animal-free product in the US market.
This regulatory development comes less than two years after 21st.BIO began development of BLG Essential+.
The beta-lactoglobulin product is designed as a functional food, and endeavours to boost the nutritional profile of food formulas.
According to 21st.BIO, BLG contains 45% more leucine than commercially available whey protein isolates, while also being tasteless and stable at high temperatures, meaning it can be incorporated into a range of food formats.
The company is also offering a development programme that allows its customers to commercialise its own production of BLG Essential+ in the US.
Through this initiative, participants can gain access to production strains and insider precision fermentation processes.
21st.BIO has also vouched to support customers in upscaling their BLG production, making the functional food more prevalent in the market.
21st.BIO's Co-Founder and CSO, Per Falholt, commented: “We bring our customers access to technology and skills they could not get anywhere else,”
“Our ambition is to empower our customers to focus more on application, business development, low-cost production and innovation. This shows all the way through our business model, which is designed such that our success at 21st.BIO depends on our customers’ success in the market with a product; not just on project completion.”
The company can support customers with strain development, fermentation and purification protocols, as well as pilot production and upscaling guidance.
[Image credit: 21st.BIO]
