Nourish Ingredients’ animal-free fat wins FEMA GRAS status in US
Tastilux, made via precision fermentation, has been deemed safe by FEMA, unlocking partnerships with U.S. food manufacturers and supporting expansion into Singapore, the EU, and beyond.
U.S.A – Nourish Ingredients’ proprietary Mortierella alpina biomass has been determined to be Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association’s (FEMA) panel of experts.
The fungal strain is the primary ingredient in its precision-fermented fat, called Tastilux.
The deep tech company leading in animal-free fats and precision fermentation can now sell its animal-free fat in the US, allowing manufacturers to add meaty flavours and aroma at low inclusion rates to a wide range of food products.
The clearance paves the way for immediate commercial sales to US food manufacturers and brands, as well as other international markets.
“The FEMA GRAS process took several months from submission in April to final confirmation, including extensive safety review and expert panel evaluation,” Nourish Ingredients founder and CEO James Petrie tells Green Queen. “Preparing the dossier submission, however, was a significant undertaking involving a large team effort and many more months of preparation.”
Based in Canberra, Nourish Ingredients’ fat relies on naturally occurring lipids scaled through precision fermentation, which provide the distinct flavour and cooking properties of meat fats when used in plant-based chicken, beef, pork and other alternatives.
Precision fermentation combines traditional fermentation with the latest biotech advances to produce a compound of interest efficiently.
Companies insert a specific DNA sequence into a microorganism to instruct it to produce the desired molecules when fermented. In this case, the microbe is Mortierella alpina, and the resulting ingredient is an animal-free fat.
The fat facilitates the Maillard reaction, giving products an aroma, taste and cooking experience akin to meat and is effective at just a 1% inclusion rate.
By producing the same molecules found in animals, but via microbes, Nourish Ingredients aims to address the taste, labelling and consumer satisfaction issues plaguing the plant-based protein market.
It’s also targeting companies that combine these with animal proteins to make blended meat.
Unlike the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates all food additives in the US, FEMA only evaluates the safety of flavour additives for use in human food.
Experts in organic chemistry, biochemistry, toxicology, metabolism and pathology conduct its rigorous scientific assessment.
The programme analyses comprehensive scientific data to determine whether ingredients are considered safe for consumption under their intended use.
It is recognised as a trusted benchmark within the food and flavour industries, according to Nourish Ingredients.
“This regulatory milestone represents a major commercial breakthrough for our proprietary potent fats and technology, enabling us to deliver a true-to-meat experience that has been missing in the market,” said Petrie.
He said the company is focused on the B2B market, with the approval paving the way for consumer-facing products to reach shelves soon.
“We’re already trialling our product with companies in the US. This milestone also creates a positive ripple internationally, helping advance regulatory pathways in other markets and opening up exciting new commercial opportunities,” he added.
Aside from the US, the company is also focusing on Singapore, Australia, the UK, and the EU.
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