Shanghai start-up Changing Bio turns yeast into alternative dairy products to meet China’s surging protein demand
- Changing Bio has launched a range of dairy products such as whipping cream, cheese powder and ice-cream made from a microbial ingredient called Kluvy Protein
- The start-up’s biomass fermentation-derived protein has been approved by the China Food and Drug Administration
Chinese start-up Changing Bio, which makes dairy products from microbial protein using fermentation technologies, hopes to capitalise on the surging demand for environmentally sustainable replacements and help the nation achieve its climate goal, according to a top executive.
Last month, the company launched China’s first fermentation-derived dairy products at the annual Bakery China Expo in Shanghai, showcasing a range of products including whipping cream, cream cheese, parmesan powder and ice cream.
Changing Bio’s microbial ingredient dubbed Kluvy Protein, derived from yeast sourced from the southeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the town of Shangri-La, is the source of protein of the company’s products. The products are identical to dairy in taste and texture but contain no animal ingredients.
“There are over one trillion species of microbes on earth, which harbour a vast amount of opportunities to obtain high-quality proteins,” said CEO Luo Bin.
China’s protein uptake is expected to grow from 57 million tonnes in 2018 to 70 million tonnes by 2025, accounting for 35 per cent of the global protein market value, according to a 2019 report by non-profit Food Innovation Australia.
