The Protein Digest

Oshi raises $3 million to scale plant-based seafood with scent technology. The company, formerly known as Plantish, will use the capital to launch a plant-based whitefish line and expand into nearly 700 retail doors, leveraging a plug-and-play manufacturing model that it says has reduced production costs by more than 80%. (foodnavigator-usa.com)

Ireland's U-Protein project wraps six years of crop protein research. The nearly €3 million initiative, coordinated by Teagasc and involving five universities, developed new extraction methods for proteins and other ingredients from faba beans, lupins, peas, grasses, and seaweeds while exploring biorefining of starch and fibre side streams. (teagasc.ie)

Canada backs $15.1M project to scale whole-cut plant protein manufacturing. Protein Industries Canada is committing $4.9 million toward the $15.1 million initiative, which will automate NS/TX Industries' manufacturing platform and expand its line to include whole-cut beef, pork, and salmon analogues using Canadian-sourced plant proteins. (globenewswire.com)

Sprouts Farmers Market launches Elmhurst plant protein beverages nationwide. The specialty grocer will carry Elmhurst 1925's Clean Protein plant-based beverages across its store network, adding to a string of wellness-brand partnerships that includes a recent BODi Shakeology rollout. (simplywall.st)

ADM launches eight soy and pea protein ingredients across North America and Europe. The eight new soy and pea protein ingredients span concentrates, isolates, and flour, targeting processed meat, poultry, hybrid, and plant protein analogue applications across both regions. (provisioneronline.com)

FUDI Protein opens crowdfunding round to scale alfalfa-derived RuBisCO extraction. The Wisconsin-based ingredient company launched an equity crowdfunding campaign on WeFunder to move its alfalfa leaf–derived RuBisCO extraction from lab scale to pilot production, targeting the U.S. whey protein shortage. (Protein Report)

Appalachian State startup turns surplus sweetpotatoes into plant-based milk with $1.82M grant. The startup Rootsii will use the NCInnovation funding to commercialize a patent-pending process converting millions of pounds of surplus North Carolina sweetpotatoes into milk, creamers, ice cream, and fermented foods, with a target of reaching market readiness within two years. (today.appstate.edu)

Capra Biosciences and Boston University develop low-cost wireless biosensors for fermentation. The wireless devices, funded by the NSF and BioMADE, combine engineered microbes with semiconductor chips to monitor fermentation parameters at a fraction of the cost of conventional probes. Capra Biosciences says the technology could be critical for scaling its modular biomanufacturing platform for retinol and salicylic acid production. (agfundernews.com)

Solar reactor grows engineered E. coli from CO₂ in a single beaker. The integrated device, developed by researchers at Queen Mary University of London, Cambridge, and the Weizmann Institute, combines an organic solar cell, enzymes, and engineered bacteria in one vessel to convert CO₂ and water into living biomass without any photosynthetic organism. (eurekalert.org)

Intake launches TAKEIN brand to expand B2B food ingredients business. The South Korean food tech company is centering its new TAKEIN brand on yeast-derived protein and dietary fiber produced through microbial fermentation, aiming to supply global food manufacturers with functional ingredients. (venturesquare.net)

Melazyme raises $2 million seed round for microbial fermentation biomolecules. The Bangkok- and Utah-based startup, founded by former Perfect Day executives, will use the capital to scale production of fermentation-derived melanin and brazzein across cosmetic, industrial, and environmental applications. (utahbusiness.com)

May 2026 U.S. food litigation and regulatory roundup covers FDA leadership, labeling, and trade. The monthly update from JD Supra covers FDA Commissioner Makary's resignation, a vetoed cell-cultured meat labeling bill in Wisconsin, new legislation targeting contaminated seafood imports, and court rulings on beverage labeling and interstate wine shipping. (jdsupra.com)

U.S. petition seeks seafood sanctions on China over shark finning practices. A formal petition argues China's distant-water fleet violates the U.S. Moratorium Protection Act by allowing fin removal at sea, potentially triggering a ban on $1.5 billion in Chinese seafood imports. (insideclimatenews.org)

Chinese scientists clone six high-yield dairy goats in breeding breakthrough. A team at Northwest A&F University produced six cloned Saanen goats from elite donors averaging over 2,800 kg of annual milk yield, a technique that could compress breeding timelines from a decade to a fraction of that. (dairybusinessmea.com)

China restores export licenses for U.S. beef plants. The renewal of previously expired licenses allows designated U.S. beef processing facilities to resume shipments to the Chinese market, signaling a thaw in bilateral agricultural trade relations. (reuters.com)