FOOD ENGINEERING has covered cell-based meats, seafood and even cocoa in recent years, and now several startups are vying for the creation of a cell-cultured milk process that delivers a product that tastes, smells, and performs like milk as an ingredient. One of those startups is Opalia Foods, based in Montréal, which has funding and industry support from CULT Food Science, Sustainable Food Ventures, and Big Idea Ventures.
Opalia’s process uses the cells responsible for lactation in cows. These cells are called mammary epithelial cells and are biologically engineered to make milk. The process recently reached a critical milestone on its path toward commercialization of animal-free cow’s milk—that is the elimination of fetal bovine serum (FBS) from its manufacturing process.