Like most industries today, the dairy industry is quite polluting. Milk is 87 per cent water, and most milk produced in New Zealand is sold in a dry form, like protein and skim milk powders.
Aiming straight for the core of the dairy sector’s problem is Auckland-based Daisy Lab, which uses a ‘precision fermentation’ technology to produce dairy proteins using microbes.
This technology can potentially reduce the number of cows required for dairy farming while producing the same amount of dairy ingredients.
Having fewer cows reduces strain on land, saves water and limits greenhouse gas emissions. The resulting microbial dairy protein powders can be used the same way traditional dairy ingredients are used in products such as ice creams, yoghurts and cheese.
“We do not have a consumer product yet, but we have conducted multiple third-party laboratory tests and have confirmed that our beta-lactoglobulin (whey protein) is identical to the protein found in cow’s milk. We can also produce casein and are working on more rare dairy proteins,” said Irina Miller, CEO of Daisy Lab.
With very few companies having done this before, Daisy Lab is at the forefront of innovation, making it hard to predict how quickly it will be scaled. However, similar technologies are already being used in the production of cheese rennet, medicines and vitamins, showcasing a good track record in terms of scalability.
“I think that in the future, there will be more pressure to reduce pollution further, and this is where precision fermentation can play a key role. You can use much of the existing dairy processing equipment, simply replacing the supply source.”
Miller explained it by saying that in many ways, nutritionally and functionally, it is just like dairy, but without the cow.
