Many MindedCalifornia clears a cow-free mozzarella made with fermentation-derived casein
California's Department of Food and Agriculture has approved New Culture's animal-free mozzarella. The San Francisco startup makes casein by precision fermentation. The approval covers three things: the production process, a commercial manufacturing facility in the Bay Area, and the label, which will read "mozzarella-style animal-free dairy cheese." New Culture applied in April 2024, and CDFA had never before received an animal-free cheese submission.
The protein is αS1-casein, which makes up about 40% of the casein in cow's milk. Casein itself is roughly 80% of milk protein. The mozzarella combines casein powder with water, sunflower and coconut oils, salt, sugar, starch and minerals, and it is aimed at foodservice buyers. New Culture says it needs only 28% as much casein as conventional mozzarella. Manufacturing partners for the casein include CJ CheilJedang, which is also an investor, and ADM. The company has already self-determined its casein to be Generally Recognised as Safe in the US, so it can sell to pizzerias in California. It says it secured $5M in early demand from US pizza purveyors last year.
Why it matters: dairy is a staple protein, and most of its cost and footprint comes from keeping animals. A state regulator creating a clear pathway for cheese made without them is a step toward cheaper, more resource-light dairy that can scale through ordinary food-industry channels. The company claims an 85% cut in greenhouse gas emissions and a 95% cut in land and water use. Those figures are company-linked, and no methodology was detailed. The company says future California approvals should be quicker, but that is an expectation, not a result.
Watch for price and volume. Peers such as Those Vegan Cowboys and Formo hold FDA no-questions letters for αS1-casein, and Eden Brew has self-affirmed GRAS status. New Culture has not said whether it will notify the FDA of its GRAS determination, which may soon be required. It has also not addressed possible dairy-industry pushback. It has raised $28.5M and is not currently fundraising.
Source: Green Queen