Arla Foods Ingredients furthers development of precision fermentation tech

Novozymes will contribute its expertise in the creation of microbial strains for the industrial-scale production of proteins by precision fermentation, with Arla providing its food tech know-how – particularly in relation to separation and drying processes – and its knowledge of the regulatory landscape.

The initial focus of the collaboration will be a solution for disease-specific medical nutrition with expansion into other segments anticipated in future.

‘Harnessing its full potential’

Valerio Nannini, Novozymes Advanced Protein Solutions general manager, said: “Precision fermentation allows us to do almost anything in terms of protein composition and structure, and this is a fantastic opportunity to harness its full potential. ​

“In our ambition to develop new tailor-made products, Arla Foods Ingredients is the best possible partner for us. It’s already firmly positioned in medical nutrition and offers substantial insight into market needs, as well as specific manufacturing capabilities that complement ours. ​

“Entering a partnership like this demonstrates the huge progress we’ve made since our decision to enter the health and nutrition space.”​

Fine-tuned proteins

Biotechnology company Novozymes is a world-leader in precision fermentation, a technique that fine-tunes the molecular output of microorganisms, offering greater control over the fermentation process and enabling tailor-made protein compositions.

Henrik Andersen, group vice president of Arla Foods Ingredients, added: “This partnership brings together two market leaders in our respective areas. Collaborating with Novozymes fits perfectly with our ambition to explore alternative nutrition platforms and complement our portfolio of dairy and whey solutions.​

“By leveraging our combined expertise, manufacturing skills and market insights, we’ll be able to accelerate the pace at which we bring innovative new protein products to market.”​

Meanwhile, UK-based food tech business Clean Food Group (CFG) has partnered Latin American food giant Alianza Team to help support its continued development of sustainable oils and fats and the creation of a new factory.