Climax Foods Inc., the AI Food Tech startup renowned for leveraging data science and machine intelligence to create plant-based foods, has unveiled the world’s first plant-based protein ingredient replicating the functional performance of casein, a dairy protein. This remarkable achievement marks the first time a company has successfully mimicked casein’s texture, taste, and functionality using plant ingredients.
The startup’s plant-based casein alternative, produced using non-GMO methods, is free of hormones, antibiotics, and the top 8 allergens, positioning it as a healthy and sustainable option. This groundbreaking “precision formulation” process enables the company to sustainably produce this protein at scale with price parity to traditional animal-based casein. Amidst growing concerns about the environmental impact of animal agriculture, this scientific innovation signifies a substantial triumph for the planet. It paves the way for the broader adoption of dairy alternatives.
Climax Foods credits its pioneering casein replacement to its unique “precision formulation” process. This method utilizes data science and AI to expedite the discovery of ideal ingredient and process combinations, thereby harnessing the full potential of plants. In contrast to the historically time-consuming trial and error method, the AI-enabled process of Climax Foods has significantly accelerated food innovation.
Daniel Westcott, Head of Protein and Texture at Climax Foods, elaborated on the company’s approach: “We use data science and machine learning to delve into the vast diversity and combinations of plant proteins. We can model and verify formulations at the microscopic level far quicker than traditional methods. Notably, our lab’s most active area is the kitchen, where we generate data by making cheese.”
Current plant-based dairy alternatives, comprised of oil and starch blends, often lack nutrition, texture, and performance. Despite more than $1.5B in funding being funneled into efforts to create a casein substitute via precision fermentation, these ventures face scalability and regulatory hurdles. Climax Foods, however, has successfully identified abundant plant proteins that can provide proper melt and stretch to plant-based cheeses, thanks to the aid of AI.
Climax Foods CEO and Founder Oliver Zahn highlighted sustainability: “Our production process uses 500 times less water at our current pilot scale than the 700 gallons needed to make a pound of cheese.” Zahn continued, “We aim to offer not just vegans, but everyone, including cheese enthusiasts, a superior option by meticulously studying what makes animal-based foods so desirable and applying those insights to plant sources like seeds.”
Cheeses produced using Climax’s casein substitute have received high praise from Michelin chefs and leading cheese manufacturers. Bel Group’s Director of Research and Applications, Anne Pitkowski, remarked on the significance of Climax Foods’ breakthrough: “Caseins are vital in dairy transformations, and their unique properties were until now unmatched in nature.”
Although starting with dairy, Zahn affirmed that the precision formulation process could be applied to replace other animal-based foods. “This is one of the most critical scientific breakthroughs in food since the advent of animal agriculture. But, we’re just getting started,” he concluded.
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