Food-tech start-up NewMoo, Ltd. has debuted in the “happy cow” space by using plant molecular farming (PMF) to produce casein proteins for cheese-making.
Caseins comprise about 80 percent of the proteins in dairy milk. This innovative product will allow cheesemakers to deliver the same cheese experience as traditional dairy cheese through a cost-effective, animal-free, and sustainable pathway.
Until now, cheese alternatives have struggled to offer consumers the real cheese experience in terms of nutrition and price. The scientists at NewMoo discovered a way to express casein proteins in plant seeds that can grow abundantly through traditional field agriculture.
After harvesting the plants, the NewMoo casein liquid base is produced through a unique development process that yields hormone-free liquid casein naturally free of lactose and cholesterol and replicates dairy cheese's functionality.
The dairy industry has considered caseins the “holy grail” of milk structure. Developing animal-free caseins through plants instead of cows makes it possible to make almost any dairy product, starting with cheese.
“Our animal-free liquid casein mimics all the functional traits of real milk protein for crafting cheese the traditional way,” said NewMoo co-founder and CEO Daphna Miller.
“This means it can seamlessly replace dairy milk in any dairy cheese manufacturing facility without needing any special equipment or reconfiguring existing equipment. NewMoo’s caseins can form the basis for a cheese that has the exact melting and stretching behaviour as animal dairy cheese and delivers the typical aroma, flavour, and texture that cheese eaters crave. Our animal-free proteins are identical to animal-derived caseins.”
Unlike protein powders, the NewMoo liquid casein is production-ready, helping streamline production and go-to-market. This approach doesn’t require expensive bioreactor machinery to grow proteins compared to current precision fermentation practices. The plant seeds themselves act as bioreactors.
“Our goal is to assist dairy cheese manufacturers in broadening their market scope to include the burgeoning flexitarian demographic,” said co-founder Hod Yanover, Vice President of Food Development for NewMoo.
“We empower cheesemakers to create delectable and nutritious guilt-free products with ease and at no added costs.”
According to Euromonitor data, 42 percent of consumers worldwide identify themselves as flexitarian. The global cheese market is projected to reach USD 220 billion by 2028.
