Artificial casein micelles and the road towards animal-free cheese

Summary

High-quality cheese without a cow? It is possible with the creation of milk proteins with precision fermentation! This technique allows microorganisms to produce proteins identical to milk proteins. However, proteins from precision fermentation are produced individually, while the casein proteins of milk occur in casein micelles. These particles of a few hundred nanometer in diameter are responsible for the white appearance of milk, but also for the structure of dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt. Precision fermentation-derived caseins thus have to be assembled into casein micelles artificially to enable their use in the production of vegan dairy products. In his research, Laurens Antuma prepared for this future by studying the assembly of caseins into casein micelles. Thereby, he provides guidelines for food manufacturers and the precision fermentation industry to streamline the production of animal-free dairy products.