Molecular farmer reveals first step to producing proteins in common plant crops
PoLoPo is a molecular farming company producing proteins directly in common crops, beginning with egg protein (ovalbumin) grown in potatoes. Founded in 2022 by scientists with expertise in plant genetics and protein expression, its investors include FoodLabs, Milk & Honey Ventures, CPT Capital, Siddhi Capital, Plug and Play, and Hack Capital.
The platform is currently deployed in potatoes at greenhouse scale to generate both a native protein (patatin) as well as egg protein (ovalbumin) produced through proprietary metabolic engineering techniques.
According to the company, the SuperAA platform turns the potato plant into a micro-biofactory that manufactures the target amino acids in the plant and stores them in the tuber. Tubers will be harvested when they reach sufficient size, and their proteins are extracted and dried into powder. Operating as an ingredient supplier to the food industry, the resulting powders will ‘seamlessly integrate into current food processing lines and formulations’ the company announced.
PoLoPo has started with potatoes for their resilience in diverse climates, low growth costs, short maturation time, relatively large storage capacity in the form of tubers, high yield per land use, and compatibility with existing harvesting and processing technology.
Strategically for PoLoPo’s commercial plans, the potato offers efficiency, sustainability and attractive economic opportunity for established agricultural and industrial food producers, giving PoLoPo a robust and cost-effective path to scale its molecular farming system.
“The SuperAA platform uses plants as living factories, and leverages their natural productivity and storage organs to grow proteins that are identical to protein derived from a chicken’s egg,” said PoLoPo CEO Maya Sapir-Mir, PhD. “The high-scale production of proteins in plants via molecular farming has the potential to economically transform not only potato farming and processing, but broader agriculture and agtech, for a more resilient and sustainable food system.”
Is there really growing demand from consumers for ‘animal-free’ egg protein
The SuperAA platform is currently being used to develop increased patatin and ovalbumin. Ovalbumin is widely used in packaged foods for its functional properties, including texture and stability, as well as for enhancing nutritional value and increasing shelf life. PoLoPo’s ovalbumin offers an affordable alternative to an industry reeling from increased egg prices, supply chain instability, and avian flu outbreaks. The global ovalbumin-powder market is forecast by some to hit US$36 billion by 2032 due to increasing consumer preference.
Patatin powder can be used as an allergen-free protein for a variety of products such as plant-based meat and dairy, baked goods, cereals, snacks, beverages, sports nutrition and nutraceuticals. A high-protein potato can also improve food security in regions impacted by malnutrition.
In 2023, PoLoPo closed a pre-seed round of US$2.3 million from leading food-tech investors, enabling it to rapidly develop its potato-to-protein pipeline.
