Protein Report

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Track policy, science, business, and product signals as they emerge across global sources

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straitstimes.com

Singapore approves meat and egg imports from three more EU states

Singapore has approved Greece, Lithuania, and Latvia as new sources for meat and egg products, expanding the list of approved EU member states from 15 to 18 as part of its food diversification strategy. The Singapore Food Agency and the EU also announced revised trade rules, including EU-wide regionalization measures for animal diseases that limit restrictions to affected areas rather than entire countries, and new flexibility allowing raw materials in meat and egg products to be sourced from any approved EU member state. Singapore imports 90% of its food supply and has been actively inking trade agreements with multiple countries since 2025 to guard against supply disruptions.

AnimalPolicy
innovationnewsnetwork.com

C-Lock pushes for a universal livestock methane measurement standard

C-Lock Inc., maker of the GreenFeed emissions monitoring system, argues that incompatible methane measurement methodologies across global research institutions are undermining efforts to reduce livestock emissions. Techniques such as respiration chambers and SF6 tracers yield inconsistent results, complicating meta-analyses, regulatory submissions, and carbon credit frameworks. With nearly 1,000 GreenFeed units deployed worldwide and more than 800 peer-reviewed citations, C-Lock positions its automated, non-invasive, individual-animal measurement system as the basis for a standardized global protocol, developed in collaboration with the USDA and adopted by institutions including Colorado State University and companies such as DSM.

AnimalSci-Tech
shreveporttimes.com

Louisiana lawmaker proposes federal buy-American mandate for seafood

Congresswoman Julia Letlow plans to introduce the Buy American Seafood Act on April 16, which would require the federal government to purchase only domestically sourced seafood for programs including the National School Lunch Program, food assistance initiatives, and military provisions—spending that totals nearly $400 million annually. The bill targets the decline of Louisiana's shrimping industry, which has shrunk from roughly 20,000 fishermen in the 1980s to fewer than 1,500 today, largely due to competition from cheaper foreign imports. Supporters, including the Louisiana Shrimp Association and the Southern Shrimp Alliance, argue the legislation would direct taxpayer funds toward American producers and address food safety concerns associated with imported seafood.

AnimalPolicy
chrissmith.house.gov

U.S. lawmakers target China's illegal fishing and forced labor in seafood supply chains

Rep. Chris Smith co-chaired a Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing examining China's illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing practices and the use of forced labor—primarily Uyghur and North Korean workers—in seafood processing facilities. Witnesses including investigative journalist Ian Urbina, retired Rear Admiral Scott Clendenin, and former trade commissioner Dean Pinkert testified that illegally caught and forced labor-tainted seafood is entering U.S. supply chains, including those serving military bases, public schools, and congressional cafeterias. The hearing underscored the economic harm to U.S. and New Jersey fishermen—whose state's commercial fisheries were valued at over $170 million in 2018—and highlighted existing legislative tools such as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and the Tariff Act that lawmakers say remain underutilized.

AnimalPolicy
cidrap.umn.edu

H5N1 avian flu found in Idaho dairy herds as researchers probe virus RNA in bull semen

The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed H5N1 avian influenza in five Idaho dairy herds, marking the first cattle detections since December 2025 in Wisconsin and coming nearly two years after the virus was first identified in U.S. dairy cows. Separately, a study published in Emerging Infectious Diseases found RNA from the H5N1 virus—but not live virus—in semen from an asymptomatic bull on an affected California dairy farm, though results were inconclusive on whether semen could serve as a transmission route. APHIS also reported three commercial poultry outbreaks this week in South Dakota and Arkansas, with 41 confirmed avian flu outbreaks affecting 1.6 million birds over the past 30 days.

AnimalHealth
foodmanufacture.co.uk

UK research finds plant protein improves diets but inconsistent fortification limits potential

Two studies from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that replacing processed meat with plant protein alternatives in UK diets could increase fibre intake by 4–6% and reduce saturated fat and salt by 6–7% and 3–4%, respectively. However, the researchers identified inconsistent micronutrient fortification—particularly of iodine, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12—as a significant gap that prevents these products from matching the nutritional profile of conventional meat and dairy. The team pointed to the Netherlands' voluntary standards, which have led to more than three-quarters of Dutch products being fortified, as a potential policy model for the UK. Industry experts also noted that taste, texture, affordability, and the consumer trend toward shorter ingredient lists remain barriers to broader adoption and sustained dietary impact.

Plant-BasedHealth
foodingredientsfirst.com

BRIGHT and Novonesis partner to turn waste CO₂ into food-grade protein

DTU's BRIGHT Biofoundry and Novonesis have partnered to engineer yeast strains capable of converting waste CO₂ into protein at industrial scale, using acetate as an intermediate carbon source. The collaboration leverages BRIGHT's automated adaptive laboratory evolution platform to optimize microbial tolerance to acetic acid and improve protein yields, while Novonesis contributes decades of metabolic engineering expertise in recombinant cell factories. Researchers say the approach could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a factor of 10–100, land use by 100–1,000, and water use by 10–200 compared with conventional protein sources, though commercial viability hinges on closing the cost gap with plant- and animal-derived alternatives.

MicrobialSci-Tech
proactiveinvestors.co.uk

Tooru agrees to acquire Dutch plant-based milk appliance maker Mylky for £12 million

London-listed health and wellness firm Tooru PLC has agreed in principle to acquire Mylky BV, a Dutch e-commerce company selling home appliances for making plant-based milks, for £12 million in a combination of cash, loan notes, and new shares. Founded in 2024, Mylky operates across eight European countries with more than 70,000 customers and expects unaudited revenue of €9 million and EBITDA of €3.1 million for the twelve months ending March 2026. The deal, which Tooru described as the first step in a buy-and-build strategy, remains subject to due diligence, financing, and shareholder approval.

Plant-BasedBusiness
businesswire.com

Vinpai grows revenue 12% but net losses widen sharply in 2025

Vinpai, a French maker of algae- and plant-based functional ingredients for the food and cosmetics industries, reported 2025 revenue of €10.2 million, up 12% year-on-year, driven largely by a 31% jump in sales across the Middle East–Africa region. Gross margin fell to 39% from 44%, however, and net losses nearly doubled to €4.9 million from €2.9 million in 2024, despite a modest improvement in EBITDA. The company cited strong pricing pressure and an unfavorable market environment, though its backlog rose to €4.1 million, signaling a gradual recovery in the fourth quarter. Vinpai noted that its increasing integration into the CAMLIN Fine Science Ltd group underpins its confidence in near-term commercial momentum.

AlgaePlant-BasedBusiness
symrise.com

Symrise takes equity stake in Bond Pet Foods to advance microbial fermentation for pet nutrition

Symrise has made a strategic equity investment in Bond Pet Foods, a Boulder, Colorado–based biotechnology company that uses microbial fermentation to produce animal-identical proteins for the pet food industry. The partnership aims to combine Bond's fermentation platform with Symrise's expertise in pet food palatability and nutrition to address supply-chain resilience and growing demand for sustainably sourced ingredients. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

MicrobialBusiness
sg.finance.yahoo.com

Pinnacle Food Group develops methanol-free method for recombinant human lactoferrin production

Pinnacle Food Group Limited, a Nasdaq-listed company based in Vancouver and Hong Kong, announced that its research team has created a first-generation recombinant yeast strain capable of producing human lactoferrin using a patented methanol-free Pichia fermentation method developed through a collaboration with Bioboost. The approach eliminates the need for methanol—a toxic, flammable solvent that requires costly explosion-proof facilities—thereby reducing operational costs and safety risks. The company said the underlying methanol-free platform has already been validated with other protein targets at pilot scale, and it is positioning the technology for commercial-scale manufacturing of high-value biological ingredients for infant nutrition, supplements, and pharmaceutical applications.

MicrobialSci-Tech
inderes.fi

Solar Foods secures U.S. patent for Solein gas fermentation process

Solar Foods has obtained a U.S. patent for the gas fermentation process used to produce its microbial protein ingredient Solein, granting the Finnish company exclusive rights to manufacture the product using its proprietary microorganism and method in one of the world's largest protein markets. The patent follows similar protections already secured in Europe, Canada, Australia, and China. Solar Foods has begun commercializing Solein in the United States, targeting the health and performance nutrition segment, while its first commercial-scale facility, Factory 01, has been operational since 2024 and a significantly larger Factory 02, with planned annual capacity of 6,400 tons, is expected to receive an investment decision this year.

MicrobialBusiness
foodanddrinktechnology.com

Clean Food Group raises £5.2m to scale fermentation-derived oils facility

Clean Food Group has secured £5.2 million in funding, comprising a £4.5 million investment round led by Clean Growth Fund and New Agrarian alongside a £700,000 Innovate UK grant, to scale up its one-million-litre microbial fermentation facility in Liverpool. The company produces yeast-derived oils and fats from food waste as a substitute for palm and tropical oils, targeting food manufacturing, cosmetics, and pet nutrition. The Knowsley facility, described as the world's largest of its kind, is intended to move the company from pilot production to commercial-scale supply for multinational FMCG companies.

MicrobialBusiness
foodingredientsfirst.com

Biospringer leverages yeast fermentation to solve plant-based food sensory gaps

Biospringer by Lesaffre is deploying yeast-derived fermentation ingredients to address persistent taste, texture, and mouthfeel deficiencies in plant-based foods—challenges that nearly 46% of U.S. consumers cite as reasons for not repurchasing plant protein analogues. The company's modular portfolio targets off-note masking, umami and flavor rebuilding, and mouthfeel enhancement, enabling manufacturers to raise protein levels while maintaining sensory quality and clean-label positioning. Biospringer frames its ingredient systems not as corrective additives but as core formulation tools for designing higher-performance plant-based products.

Plant-BasedMicrobialSci-Tech
foodnavigator.com

Parima secures Singapore approval for cell-cultured duck

Parima, the company formed from Gourmey's acquisition of Vital Meat, has received authorization from the Singapore Food Agency for its cell-cultured duck product. The approval is Parima's second in Singapore, following a green light for cell-cultured chicken in October 2025. The company now plans to pursue commercialization across high-end gastronomy and retail, while regulatory applications for cell-cultured foie gras and chicken remain pending in the EU, Switzerland, and the UK.

Cell-BasedPolicy
businesswire.com

Plant Based Innovations acquires Alpenrose dairy operations in Oregon

Harry Davis & Company brokered the sale of Alpenrose's butter, sour cream, and ice cream mix operations in Clackamas, Oregon, to Plant Based Innovations, a manufacturer with facilities across the United States. The transaction preserves approximately 35 jobs and maintains production capacity supporting the regional dairy supply chain. Plant Based Innovations now operates facilities on the East Coast, West Coast, and Midwest, enabling nationwide distribution.

AnimalBusiness
agfundernews.com

Enduro Genetics tech lifts Vivici's whey protein titers by 30%

Vivici, a joint venture of Fonterra and DSM-Firmenich producing beta-lactoglobulin via microbial fermentation, has integrated Enduro Genetics' Enduro Sense technology into its production strain, achieving a 30% increase in titers and yields within five months. The Danish startup's genetic plug-in works by linking cell survival to high production of the target protein, ensuring only productive cells proliferate in the bioreactor. The improvement required no changes to media, process setup, or feedstock volumes, and both companies say the technology maps to low-burden regulatory pathways under FDA GRAS and EFSA frameworks.

MicrobialSci-Tech
petfoodindustry.com

LCA study backs BeneMeat's cell-cultured meat carbon footprint claims

A peer-reviewed life cycle assessment using real pilot production data found that BeneMeat Technologies' cell-cultured meat achieves a carbon footprint of 5.3 kilograms of CO2 equivalent per kilogram of product, which the company says is comparable to or lower than conventional meat at industrial scale. The study modeled a facility designed to produce 400–600 kilograms of cell-cultured meat per day. BeneMeat emphasized that the assessment was based on actual operating data rather than theoretical assumptions, strengthening its case that cell-cultured meat can be environmentally competitive when scaled up.

Cell-BasedEnvironment
almanac.upenn.edu

Penn Vet secures state grants to study avian influenza and livestock health

Faculty at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine have been awarded several research grants from Pennsylvania's $2.2 million round of state agricultural research funding, accounting for a quarter of all projects funded. The grants support studies on avian influenza transmission in small poultry flocks and live bird markets, antimicrobial resistance transfer between minor livestock and their owners, chronic wasting disease detection in white-tailed deer, and AI-driven health prediction in dairy cattle. Two avian influenza projects share a combined grant of over $69,000, while additional awards range from roughly $35,000 to $40,000 each.

AnimalHealth
ajupress.com

South Korea funds yeast engineering project to cut food import reliance

Kookmin University's Professor Park Yong-chul has secured government funding to develop genetic tools for the food-grade yeast Candida utilis, aiming to produce proteins, amino acids, and other food ingredients through microbial fermentation. The project, part of South Korea's 2026 Basic Research Program under the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea, seeks to reduce the country's dependence on imported food resources by establishing domestic production capabilities using synthetic biology.

MicrobialSci-Tech
startupticker.ch

Swiss Food and Nutrition Valley selects eighteen startups for investor pitch event

The Swiss Food and Nutrition Valley has chosen eighteen foodtech startups to present at its annual Investing in the Valley showcase on April 22. The selected companies span a wide range of sectors, including plant protein ingredients, cell-cultured meat, seaweed-based packaging, microbial fermentation, functional beverages, and AI-driven food optimization. Notable participants include Aleph Farms, a cell-cultured agriculture company with operations in Israel and Zurich; and Catchfree, an ETH spin-off producing plant-based seafood.

Plant-BasedCell-BasedBusiness
retailtimes.co.uk

THIS launches plant-based deli slices in UK retailers

THIS has introduced two ready-to-eat plant-based deli slices in the UK: Roast Chicken Slices and Butter Bean, Garlic and Paprika Slices, both priced at £2.95 for a 95g pack. The products became available at Morrisons on April 22, with Waitrose and Sainsbury's following on May 6. Each pack is marketed as high in protein, a source of vitamin B12 and iron, and low in saturated fat, targeting flexitarian and health-conscious consumers. The butter bean variety uses butter beans as a base ingredient, while the chicken-style slices aim to replicate the texture of roast chicken without animal ingredients.

Plant-BasedBusiness
beanscenemag.com.au

Minor Figures launches seed oil-free barista almond milk in Australia

Minor Figures, known for its oat milk range, has entered the almond milk segment with a new Barista Almond product — its first move beyond oat globally. The product uses Australian olive oil instead of seed oils and sources all almonds from Australian farms near the South Australian and Victorian border, with production based outside Ballarat in regional Victoria. According to the company, almond milk holds a 37 percent share of the Australian grocery plant milk market, compared to 33 percent for oat. Minor Figures says the product underwent nearly a year of development and approximately 25 trials, with pre-orders reportedly accumulating ahead of its official launch last month.

Plant-BasedBusiness
kscj.com

Global dairy margins tighten as oversupply drives sharp commodity price declines

Dairy producers worldwide face mounting margin pressure in early 2026 as elevated milk production outpaces demand, driving steep commodity price declines. Fat markets have fallen 40 percent, whole milk powder is down 30 percent, and protein-based products have declined 15 percent. Global milk output is forecast to grow just 0.2 percent in 2026, a sharp deceleration from 2.6 percent growth the prior year, with the United States leading expansion as herd sizes reach their highest levels since the 1990s. The USDA projects the All-Milk price at approximately $19.70 per cwt for the year, while geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pose additional risks to supply chains heading into 2027.

AnimalBusiness

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