Fonterra explores biomass fermentation for high-value dairy proteins

Fonterra’s collaboration with Superbrewed Food combines the dairy cooperative’s processing scale, ingredient-development capabilities and application expertise with the US company’s biomass-fermentation technology. The work focuses on lactose permeate, a carbohydrate-rich stream produced when milk and whey are ultrafiltered to make milk-protein and whey-protein concentrates.

Superbrewed Food’s ingredient, called Postbiotic Cultured Protein, is made by fermenting naturally occurring bacterial strains in anaerobic conditions. One example cited is Clostridium tyrobutyricum. The process retains the resulting cellular biomass rather than removing the microorganism to isolate an individual protein, as in precision-fermentation processes.

The whole-cell ingredient contains more than 85% protein. It also provides branched-chain amino acids, iron, zinc, phosphorus and vitamin B12. The product is described as non-GMO and allergen-free, while its neutral flavour, thermal stability and solubility across a broad pH range are intended to support use in formulated foods.

For Fonterra, the project centres on using lactose permeate as a fermentation feedstock. The stream is generated during the production of milk-protein concentrate and whey-protein concentrate and is described as an abundant, low-margin co-product. The partners’ process is designed to turn its lactose into shelf-stable cultured proteins rather than leaving it as a surplus dairy sugar.

The cultured proteins are intended to supplement Fonterra’s existing dairy-protein range, not replace it. Potential applications listed by the companies include high-protein drinks, medical-nutrition products, baked goods, sports-nutrition products and formulations combining dairy and non-dairy ingredients. The stated formulation characteristics are intended to preserve texture and mouthfeel in those products.

The initiative forms part of Fonterra’s expansion into biotechnology and reflects a wider move among large dairy processors towards circular bio-manufacturing and protein platforms using multiple feedstocks. The company’s work with Superbrewed Food is based on using dairy-processing side-streams to produce protein ingredients with both nutritional and commercial uses.