MONTREAL, March 9, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Opalia, an early-stage foodtech company that makes whole milk using mammary cells, has reached a crucial in-lab milestone on its path toward commercialization of animal-free cow's milk. Today, Opalia announced the elimination of fetal bovine serum (FBS), a commonly used component of synthetic cell growth, from its cell-based manufacturing process.
"By successfully replacing FBS with a cheaper, non-animal-derived cell growth substrate, we have reduced the cost and risk of manufacturing cell-based milk, bringing Opalia one step closer to introducing consumers to no-compromises, animal-free dairy," said Jennifer Côté, co-founder and CEO of Opalia. "Our new FBS replacement substrate enables us to reliably grow our mammary cells to cost-effectively scale up production of sustainable and fully functional animal-free milk."
FBS is extracted from the placenta of pregnant cows and is frequently used to cultivate cells and tissue outside of their normal environment. However, FBS is costly and subject to high levels of batch-to-batch variation that decreases its reliability. It can also easily be contaminated by harmful pathogens.
More importantly, the fact that FBS is extracted from live animals has always made it a non-starter for Opalia. "We are 100-percent focused on manufacturing a dairy product that negates any potential harm to animals and eliminates the massive environmental impact of traditional dairy production," added Côté.
Using enhanced mammary epithelial cells that grow and lactate inside a bioreactor that replicates the In Vivo environment of the cow udder, Opalia is able to manufacture all of the functional components of traditional dairy without involving any animals in the process. The replacement substrate used in Opalia's proprietary process is FDA-approved, facilitating the regulatory approval of its cell-based milk.
Unlike other milk alternatives, Opalia's animal-free milk contains all of the functional components of traditional cow milk such as the six main proteins (two whey proteins and four casein proteins) and milk fats, which can be dialed-in to any desired specifications for an unlimited number of end applications. Opalia's aim is to partner with companies that use milk in their products to target a wide range of applications from food to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
With its bioreactor-based milk production process now powered by an FBS-free substrate, Opalia is one step closer to upscaling production of its cell-based milk and to engage with downstream partners that are interested in commercialization of the company's fully functional milk.
About Opalia Foods
Opalia wants to change how consumers view dairy alternatives. Its patent-pending process uses real bovine mammary cells to make whole milk for sustainable and animal-free dairy products with no compromise on taste and texture. The company was formed by a team of dreamers and visionaries, tired of unsatisfactory non-dairy products, and whose backgrounds include genetic engineering, management, experimental medicine, and molecular biology. Based in Montreal, Canada, Opalia is privately funded and backed by industry leaders that include Big Idea Ventures, Sustainable Food Ventures, and CULT Food Science. For more information, visit opaliafoods.com.
Media Contact
Jennifer Côté, Opalia, 1 5145064640, [email protected]
Tim Cox, ZingPR, 6508886116, [email protected]
SOURCE Opalia
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