Better Dairy clears US safety hurdle for osteopontin supplement

London-based precision fermentation company Better Dairy receives self-affirmed GRAS status in the US for its yeast-derived milk protein osteopontin. The determination allows the ingredient to be sold into food and supplement products, with customer launches planned for coming months.

London-based precision fermentation company Better Dairy has concluded self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status in the US for lactopontin, its yeast-derived version of the milk protein osteopontin. The determination allows the ingredient to be sold into food and supplement products, and the company says it is working with customers on launches planned for the coming months. Self-affirmed GRAS rests on the assessment of an independent expert panel and does not involve a review by the US Food and Drug Administration. Better Dairy’s panel examined a safety dossier covering the ingredient’s composition, manufacturing process, purity and specifications, and concluded unanimously that lactopontin is safe under its intended conditions of use. Osteopontin is a signaling protein found in milk, bone and other tissue, and is involved in growth, repair and immune processes. According to the company’s website, Better Dairy adopted “lactopontin,” a term used in scientific literature for the milk-derived form, for its recombinant protein, which is built from the human osteopontin sequence. The company describes itself as the first supplier of precision-fermented lactopontin and the only commercially available source of the protein in the US. “We’re moving beyond our foundations, developing world-leading science, and opening the door to real commercial applications” “For decades, nutrition has largely been about giving the body more of something – more protein, more vitamins, more minerals. We believe the next big opportunity is different – it’s about understanding how nutrition can help the body make better use of its own biology. Lactopontin represents that opportunity. We’re bringing a naturally occurring signaling protein into nutrition and supplements, with the potential to create an entirely new generation of functional products,” said founder and CEO Jevan Nagarajah. Better Dairy, which raised $22 million in a Series A round in 2022, originally focused on animal-free casein for aged cheeses. It turned its attention to osteopontin last year, FoodNavigator reported, citing the protein’s higher value and the small quantities needed in finished products. The initial US clearance covers adult nutrition, with target categories including healthy aging, gut health, immunity, joint health, skin health and sports recovery. Better Dairy is positioning lactopontin as an addition to formulations that already use collagen, lactoferrin or probiotics. A separate US approval for early life nutrition is in progress, alongside regulatory filings in Europe and Asia. Better Dairy will present lactopontin to manufacturers and brand owners at SupplySide Global in Las Vegas from October 28 to 30. “Achieving Self-Affirmed GRAS is a key step for us. It means we’re moving beyond our foundations, developing world-leading science, and opening the door to real commercial applications. We’re now ready to work with customers who are equally excited to bring this new functionality and next generation of products to consumers,” explained Nagarajah. Thank you! Please confirm your newsletter subscription in the email we just sent you.

Read source: Cultivated X