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Molecular Farming food-ingredient company, Moolec Science, has announced that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has concluded its Regulatory Status Review (RSR) for Moolec’s genetically engineered (GE) soybean Piggy Sooy™.
The USDA-APHIS RSR determines that Moolec’s genetically engineered soybean, accumulating animal meat protein, is unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk relative to non-engineered soybeans. Therefore, it is not subject to the APHIS regulation that governs the movement of organisms modified or produced through genetic engineering.
“Moolec embraced Nasdaq’s slogan ‘Rewrite Tomorrow’ and took it literally! We achieved an unprecedented milestone in biotechnology with the first-ever USDA-APHIS approval of this kind,” stated Gastón Paladini, Moolec Science’s CEO & Co-Founder. “We are unlocking the power of plants by leveraging science to overcome climate change and global food security concerns. I am very proud of the Moolec team, creating value for shareholders and the planet at the same time.”
This milestone reinforces Moolec’s B2B go-to-market strategy for Piggy Sooy™ product, an innovative, functional, and nutritious ingredient. By adding a well-known animal meat protein (porcine myoglobin) to the standard soybean proteins, the company expects to provide food manufacturers with a unique ingredient that will have a positive carbon and water footprint.
Martin Salinas, Chief of Technology & Co-Founder at Moolec, enthusiastically announced: “We believe this milestone sets the stage for a revolution in the food-industrial biotech landscape, paving the way for expedited adoption of Molecular Farming technology by other industry players. Also, this compelling advancement signifies a stride in enhancing our operational efficiency, transforming our methods of raw material sourcing, and optimizing our downstream crushing and processing operations.”
In June 2023, the company announced that Piggy Sooy™ seeds had achieved high levels of expression of pork protein (up to 26.6% of the total soluble protein) and had patented their technology. The company clarifies that Piggy Sooy™ development is set to keep moving forward completing the necessary consultation with the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Moolec declares to be engaged in the consultation process with the FDA, representing the next pivotal regulatory milestone preceding the commercial availability of Piggy Sooy™ ingredient.
About Moolec Science SA
Moolec is a science-based ingredient company leader in the use of Molecular Farming technology for food and dietary supplementation markets. The Company’s mission is to create unique food ingredients by engineering plants with animal protein genes. Its purpose is to redefine the way the world produces animal proteins, for good and for all. Moolec’s technological approach aims to have the cost structure of plant-based solutions with the nutrition and functionality of animal-based ones. Moolec’s technology has been under development for more than a decade and is known for pioneering the production of a bovine protein in a crop for the food industry. The Company’s product portfolio and pipeline leverages the agronomic efficiency of broadly used target crops, like soybean, pea, and safflower to produce oils and proteins. Moolec also has an industrial and commercial R&D capability to complement the company’s Molecular Farming technology. Moolec secures a growing international patent portfolio (25+, both granted and pending) for its Molecular Farming technology. The Company is run by a diverse team of Ph.Ds and Food Insiders, and operates in the United States, Europe, and South America. For more information, visit moolecscience.com and ir.moolecscience.com.