Turtle Tree, a Singapore-based start-up, claims to be the first to produce Lactoferrin milk protein using precision fermentation.

And it’s important because in the past retrieving milk proteins has been as tricky as mining for gold. 

Lactoferrin is a particularly important protein for the brain’s cognitive development. However, its quantity in milk is low, which makes its retrieval an expensive process. 

Also, repeated use of antibiotics on animals has caused antibiotic-resistant bacteria to surge. This has caused higher animal deaths, lower milk production and the risk of food-borne diseases.

That’s another reason why Turtle Tree’s research is important. It makes milk production scalable and reduces dependency on animal products.

The process involves inserting the lactoferrin genomic sequence into microbial cells. These cells are subjected to a controlled environment to induce fermentation and produce lactoferrin. (SG10201909295WA) 

Compared to the conventional method of lactoferrin, this method provides 100x higher yield as well as reduces carbon emission by 91%. Perhaps someday it would make animal dairy a moo-point. 🙂 

Since these setups do not require a large area of land they also reduce energy consumption by 29%, blue water usage by 95% and land usage by 81%. It’s a game-changer for both feasibility and eco-friendliness in lactoferrin production.  

P.S. No microbes were harmed in the making of this email.