Prototyping by upscaling precision fermentation of dairy proteins in novel bioreactor

Purpose and goal

A barrier for biotech in food production is the high production cost – as the process derives from the pharma industry. The project will demonstrate that cost-effective bioprocesses are possible for food by validating a new bioreactor tailored to avoid unnecessary costs. The validation is done through precision fermentation of dairy proteins that can demonstrate scalability and drive development towards the mission that by 2035 everyone will be able to eat fresh bio-produced food every day.

Expected effects and result

Sweden has a great potential to increase its innovation capacity and become a leader in biotechnology. This could strengthen food security, create jobs, and reduce environmental impact by enabling plant-based alternatives, better use of side streams, and less reliance on fossil resources. Biotech Heights is driving this progress together with a wide range of actors, both large and small, from all across Sweden. Together with Re:meat, Biotech Heights is prototyping novel ways of biomanufacturing.

Planned approach and implementation

The project is a cross-functional effort that will prototype a new bioreactor by scaling up precision fermentation of dairy proteins. The process begins by engineering microorganisms to make them express dairy proteins. Once high expression levels are confirmed at the lab, fermentation parameters are fine-tuned in small-scale bioreactors. The next step is scaling up to pilot and run in the novel bioreactor at industrial volumes of 140 – 300 liters, while keeping yield and quality.