Plant-based ingredient manufacturer, Fooditive Group, has developed vegan dairy proteins using precision fermentation technology, following the development of its upcycled natural sweetener. Casein is one of the main proteins in milk responsible for its texture, taste, and functionality.
“Making healthy and affordable food for everyone means that we simply need to target every aspect of our diet, and animal-free products should definitely be a part of it. Delivering ingredients that have been produced sustainably is the main key to a long-lasting future that can support the growing human population,” said Moayad Abushokhedim, founder and CEO of Fooditive.
“We understand that the production of food-grade genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is subject to constant debate due to the combination of negative consumer perceptions and the distrust of conglomerates. Our aim is to change that by showing the food industry and the end consumers an innovative approach to create sustainable products”, said Niki Karatza, Product Manager of Fooditive.
The company’s goal is to deliver on the demand for milk in the coming years while reducing he the downsides of factory farming, lactose, hormones, and antibiotics. The key to the vegan casein, the company says, was to understand the milk formula. This helped the team to re-create an animal-free version of milk casein, by using fermentation and ensuring that the process will be scalable for the food industry.
The ingredient is suitable for various applications including dairy milk formulations to yoghurt, crèmes, and cheeses to get the melting characteristics.
The ingredient will be available for applications in the food industry, and according to the company, there is a list of food developers and food subscribed to test the ingredient in their products. The company plans to debut the vegan casein in 2022 in the market.