Rebuilding Breast Milk With Biotech, First FDA Nod for Animal-Free Lactoferrin, and 3-In-1 Biopesticide
Also: Biotalys partners with AgroFresh to develop biological solutions to reduce post-harvest food waste
Hey, welcome to issue #104 of the Better Bioeconomy newsletter. Thanks for being here! 👋🏾
This week, All G unlocked a structural leap in infant nutrition by forming human casein micelles via precision fermentation. TurtleTree became the first to receive FDA approval for its animal-free lactoferrin, setting the stage for global rollout. Biotalys and AgroFresh joined forces to cut post-harvest waste with biological fungicides. Meanwhile, Super Growers launched a triple-action nano biopesticide, and in the lab, researchers reengineered Aspergillus niger to yield 115% more mycoprotein by breaking fungal pellet formation.
Let’s dig into the latest updates on how biotech is transforming food and agriculture for a climate-friendly food system.
BIO BUZZ
Products, partnerships, and regulations
🇦🇺 All G's breakthrough forms human casein micelles to bring infant formula "dramatically closer to the nutritional gold standard of human milk"
Sydney-based startup says it’s the first to successfully form human casein proteins into micelles, a key structure for delivering nutrients like calcium and phosphate. These human caseins are softer and easier to digest than bovine ones, offering a closer match to natural breast milk.
The startup has filed a patent for a formulation that includes five core human milk proteins: alpha-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, beta-casein, kappa-casein, and serum albumin, made through precision fermentation. These proteins replicate the human milk profile more accurately than bovine alternatives, attracting interest from infant formula producers.
All G plans to launch bovine lactoferrin later this year and human lactoferrin in early 2026. It is preparing for large-scale production with bioreactors of 50,000 to 100,000 litres expected by Q4 2025. It has global partnerships and plans clinical trials to evaluate the health benefits of its human milk protein ingredients.
Source: AgFunder
🤔 Thoughts:
All G is taking on the long-standing gap between infant formula and breast milk. Rather than adjusting existing formulas with cow proteins and plant oils, it’s starting with a blueprint of human milk and rebuilding key components, like casein micelles, through precision fermentation.
It’s a sign of how far biotech has come: we’re no longer just replicating individual proteins, but beginning to recreate the supramolecular architectures that shape how nutrients are digested and absorbed. This kind of structural precision could define the next frontier in nutrition, where it’s not just about what you produce, but how well you replicate the way the body naturally processes it.
🇺🇸🇸🇬 TurtleTree becomes the first company to secure FDA approval for precision-fermented bovine lactoferrin
The Singapore-based startup has become the first to receive a ‘no questions’ letter from the FDA for precision-fermented bovine lactoferrin, confirming the animal-free ingredient’s safety for use in food and drinks.
Lactoferrin is in short supply. Producing just 1kg requires around 10,000 litres of milk, and it’s costly, typically priced at $750–$1,500/kg. With ~60% of the global supply going into infant formula, precision fermentation offers an alternative production method for broader uses like sports nutrition, women’s health, and functional foods.
The FDA green light helps clear regulatory barriers, opening doors for global expansion. TurtleTree is pursuing approvals in Europe and Asia, and is already working with partners to roll out products featuring its ingredient, LF+, which is also available through its consumer brand, Intentional.
Source: Green Queen
🇺🇸 AI is helping Corteva dramatically accelerate the development of new crop protection products with “unprecedented speed and accuracy”
The agricultural chemical giant uses AI to predict protein structures in just seconds and “for a few pennies per protein”, replacing a process that once took months and cost tens of thousands of dollars per protein.
In a recent effort, AI helped Corteva model 10,000 molecules in weeks, identifying dozens of promising candidates that selectively target pests without harming crops or biodiversity.
AI also combines environmental data, pest forecasts, and farm-specific practices to create customised treatment plans, like pinpointing the best time to apply fungicides on corn, so farmers can use inputs more effectively.
Source: AgFunder
🤔 Thoughts:
Corteva’s use of AI lets scientists start with the right “key” for each pest protein “lock,” instead of sifting through thousands of chemicals and hoping for a match. It’s a big step toward precision R&D in crop protection, similar to how pharma now relies on computer-guided drug discovery. The payoff is a pipeline of more focused, target-specific pesticides that could move through regulators faster (safer molecules, in theory, are easier to green-light) and cost less to develop.
Today’s broad-spectrum pesticides can be blunt tools. They can hit non-target plants, insects, and soil life, and farmers typically compensate with higher doses, driving up resistance and harming pollinators. AI is enabling a new level of specificity. By designing compounds that bind to a single pest protein, each treatment can “do its job and only its job,” sparing the surrounding ecosystem. This could improve sustainability: fewer chemicals in the environment and slower development of resistance due to targeted modes of action.
🇬🇧🇸🇬 Umami Bioworks hosted its first UK cultivated seafood tasting in London, showcasing white fish and caviar
At a private tasting at the Underground Cookery School in London, Singapore’s Umami Bioworks introduced its cultivated seafood to a select group of media and industry guests. The menu included fish-and-chips and caviar canapés, offering a look at what the future of seafood might hold.
The white fish was praised for its clean taste and authentic look, closely resembling traditional fillets in both appearance and aroma. That said, the texture still needs work as it leaned more rubbery than flaky. The team noted that improving texture is a top priority, with ongoing efforts to fine-tune fibre alignment through updated production methods.
The caviar showcased Umami’s capabilities in the premium seafood segment. Thanks to a re-engineered mix of ingredients and a revised production process, it delivered a refined sensory experience with a soft, creamy texture that resembled conventional caviar.
Source: FoodBev Media
🇺🇸 Super Growers launched Omnicide IPM biopesticide powered by nano-emulsion technology that delivers triple-action protection
Formulated with organic essential oils and classified as a minimum-risk pesticide under EPA FIFRA 25(b), it’s non-toxic, biodegradable, and residue-free. It requires no pre-harvest or re-entry waiting periods.
Developed using proprietary technology by Vegalab, Omnicide IPM functions as an insecticide, fungicide, and sporicide. Its mechanical mode of action helps reduce the chance of resistance and is safe for pollinators, pets, and people.
Available in both ready-to-use and concentrated forms, it’s designed for flexibility across different farm sizes and has been independently tested to confirm its performance in practical agricultural settings.
Source: CropLife
🤔 Thoughts:
Farmers using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) often have to manage a mix of products: one for insects, another for disease, and sometimes a separate spray for spores. It’s a lot to coordinate, and mistakes can be costly.
Omnicide IPM streamlines that process by combining all three functions into a single, residue-free solution. For smallholders and organic growers in particular, that could mean fewer products to handle, lower input costs, and less room for timing errors.
This is a shift toward input simplification, as sustainability targets and labor constraints push product design toward ease of use. As pressure grows to reduce chemical intensity, simplicity and ecological safety are becoming just as critical as raw efficacy.
🇧🇪🇺🇸 Biotalys partners with AgroFresh to develop biological solutions to reduce post-harvest food waste
~14% of global produce is lost between harvest and retail, much of it due to fungal spoilage. Biotalys and AgroFresh combine their strengths, Biotalys’ AGROBODY™ biocontrol technology and AgroFresh’s long-standing post-harvest know-how, to develop sustainable fungicide alternatives.
The collaboration targets the $300M global post-harvest fungicide market with protein-based, residue-free products that broaden the toolkit for preserving fresh produce.
By addressing spoilage in high-value, perishable crops, the partnership aims to reduce food waste, extend shelf life, and support more resilient and sustainable global supply chains.
Source: GlobeNewswire
🤔 Thoughts:
Food security and sustainability aren’t just about producing more, they’re also about reducing what we lose along the way. Cutting food waste delivers on three fronts: more food reaches people, less money is wasted, and the environmental footprint shrinks.
As supply chains grow longer, keeping produce fresh after harvest has become just as critical as protecting it in the field. Doing so without relying on chemical fungicides, which face growing pushback over residues and resistance, makes the approach even more compelling. This partnership is a good reminder that some of the biggest efficiency gains are in the cold chain.
BIO BUCKS
Funding, M&As, and grants
🇺🇸🇬🇧 Big Idea Ventures acquired the assets of digital investment platform and marketplace Vevolution
The global food tech investor plans to use this move to strengthen its innovation infrastructure worldwide, with a focus on agrifood tech, climate tech, biotech, and sustainable AI. The terms of the deal were undisclosed.
London-based Vevolution has helped facilitate over $60 million in investments to startups like MeliBio (bee-free honey), Opalia (cell-cultured milk), De Novo Foodlabs and Fermify (precision-fermented dairy proteins), and plant-based meat brand Shaka Harry.
Since 2022, the platform has grown from 3,000 users to more than 8,000, now connecting 2,200 startups with 1,000 investors.
Source: Green Queen
GEEK ZONE
Latest scientific research papers
🧬 Morphology-engineered filamentous fungus increased mycoprotein biomass yield by 115% by eliminating pellet formation in fermentation
Using CRISPR/Cas9, researchers knocked out genes in Aspergillus niger that drive pellet formation, a hurdle in filamentous fungal fermentation. Removing α-1,3-glucan and GAG synthase genes shifted the fungus from dense pellets to freely dispersed mycelia, improving mass transfer and overall process efficiency.
The engineered strain produced 16.67 g/L of biomass with 45.91% protein content, a 115% jump in biomass and a 67% rise in protein compared to the unoptimized wild-type. Even under baseline conditions, the modified strain delivered 77.5% more biomass and 40% more protein.
Dense fungal pellets limit productivity in industrial fermentation. This work offers a route to convert Aspergillus into a high-efficiency microbial protein factory, with implications for biomanufacturing.
Source: Bioresource Technology
🌱 Triple treatment of biochar and biostimulants improved cadmium mitigation and cotton seed yield by 65% in saline soils
Researchers tested an integrative soil treatment combining biochar (BC), plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPM), and seaweed extract (SWE) to reduce cadmium toxicity and improve cotton yield under saline soil conditions. The study used eight treatment groups in a randomised field trial.
The trio of BC + PGPM + SWE reduced sodium and cadmium bioavailability by 31% and 34%, improved soil health indicators like organic matter and microbial activity, and triggered up to 3.4x higher antioxidant enzyme levels in cotton leaves. It also lowered cadmium movement to shoots and bolls by 18% and 56%, leading to a 65% increase in seed yield.
This integrative approach offers a scalable, eco-friendly solution to reclaim saline, heavy metal-contaminated soils, which could improve crop performance on degraded, stress-affected soils.
Source: Science of The Total Environment
💪🏾 Engineered E. coli achieved high-titre creatine production through dual-enzyme whole-cell biocatalysis with ATP regeneration
Creatine is a high-demand amino acid derivative used in food and health applications, but current industrial production relies heavily on multi-step chemical synthesis.
To address this, researchers engineered E. coli to express a two-enzyme creatine pathway (AGAT and GAMT), then optimised the system by fine-tuning GAMT translation, enhancing precursor supply, and integrating an ATP regeneration module. In a 3 L whole-cell fermenter, the final strain produced 5.27 g/L creatine (40.2 mM) over 24 h with 71 mol % arginine conversion and an overall productivity of 0.22 g/L/h.
This work represents the first demonstration of whole-cell creatine production in E. coli using a complete dual-enzyme cascade from arginine, supported by integrated ATP regeneration. It provides a potentially scalable, low-cost, and more sustainable route to producing functional amino acid products from basic inputs like arginine, glycine, and methionine, offering a promising alternative to petrochemical routes.
Source: Microbial Biotechnology
EAR FOOD
Podcast episode of the week
🎧 The six-platform innovation roadmap that drives Corteva’s agtech strategy across seeds, traits, and inputs
Host: Tim Hammerich
Guest: Sam Eathington, Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Digital Officer at Corteva Agriscience
Corteva’s innovation game plan for the decade spans six key areas: gene editing, crop protection chemistry, biologicals, hybrid wheat, seed-and-treat licensing, and biofuels.
One major bet is hybrid wheat. Thanks to new sterility systems and advances in sequencing the wheat genome, Corteva is aiming for a commercial launch by 2027. If successful, it could echo the productivity leap hybrid corn brought in the 1920s, early results point to strong yield stability and solid market potential.
Their winter canola program is another smart play. It lets farmers plant canola in winter and soy in summer, stacking two oilseed harvests on the same land. That brings extra income for farmers.
Biologicals hold big promise, but public confusion, often lumping helpful microbes in with harmful ones, has slowed acceptance. Corteva sees education and data as key to reaching a projected $1B+ opportunity by 2030.
Across the board, the company is moving toward more integrated approaches, blending conventional chemistry with biologicals, genetics, and data tools. The goal: shift from broad-spectrum sprays to more precise, sustainable pest control.
GOT A MINUTE?
If you found value in this newsletter, consider sharing it with a friend who might benefit! Or, if someone forwarded this to you, consider subscribing.
This newsletter is free, but if you'd like to support the time and effort behind each issue, a small pledge is always appreciated.
Thank you, and have a great day!
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer, affiliates, or any organisations I am associated with.
Ho Eshan! Thank you for awesome issue #104. I always learn something valuable from each of your outstanding newsletters. The community appreciates all your hard work and efforts to help educate us on the latest developments in the alt protein space. Have a wonderful week 😊 👍❤️