Aethera Biotech, a Vicenza-based company focused on research and development of active ingredients from in-vitro plant cultures of meristem culture, will support the U.S. based company Ergo Bioscience in scaling up its precision fermentation bioprocesses.
Two companies that have embraced science, innovation and sustainability as their beliefs, now together as part of a partnership that will kick off the first industrial production of plant proteins from plant cell cultures for the production of plant foods that promise to resemble their respective animal foods in color and flavor.
Ergo Bioscience uses a biotechnological process called plant cell suspension culture, which starts with the culture of carrot cells to produce strictly plant-based myoglobin and casein: while the former, in its animal-derived version is the protein responsible for the typical red color of meat as well as its flavor and aroma, the latter belongs to the family of proteins present in milk, and plays a key role in the texture and flavor of fermented dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt.
Through this agreement, Aethera Biotech will provide its know-how and its CROP® biotechnology platform of more than 120 tons/year capacity to develop Ergo Bioscience’s carrot cell line to large-scale production.
All according to the highest standards of quality and safety, for people and the environment, as per Aethera Biotech’s practice, which is used to capturing the best of the plant kingdom to obtain highly standardized phytocomplexes, ingredients to be used stably and safely mainly in the personal care and nutra industries.
“Every production at Aethera Biotech starts with a very thorough research and development, therefore taking on new challenges is part of the company’s DNA, and the challenge that starts with this agreement makes us especially excited. When we can put our technology and expertise at the service of other innovative companies, the result is enriching for all parties. We are then pleased to announce this collaboration,” remarks Daniele Baghi, CEO of Aethera Biotech.
“We are very excited to reach this important milestone with Aethera Biotech – adds Alejandro Barbarini, CEO of Ergo – Our technology overcomes several limitations of traditional precision fermentation processes, particularly when producing complex proteins compared the animal ones. Our innovation has the potential to be a game-changer for the industry for its impact on the nutritional and organoleptic quality of our customers’ products”.
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