Animal-free dairy proteins appear to provide functional advantages akin to those of animal-free, cell-cultured “meat” products, which are currently drawing interest and investment from major food manufacturers. Memphis Meats, a cultured “meat” startup based in San Francisco, has secured funding from both Tyson Ventures, the investment division of Tyson Foods, and Cargill. On the cost front, Memphis Meats is working to lower the steep price of its cell-cultured “meat,” which it estimates could decrease from approximately $2,400 per pound last year to around $3 or $4 per pound by 2021. Likewise, Perfect Day will need to effectively compete with existing dairy proteins to achieve success. Dairy industry analyst Matt Gould informed the co-founders in 2016 that they would need to reduce prices to about $2.50 per pound.
Beyond pricing, product labeling presents another challenge. Perfect Day’s co-founders have engaged in discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding how to communicate that the company’s ingredients are technically dairy yet animal-free. Perfect Day’s patented method involves utilizing food-grade yeast and incorporating DNA sequences from dairy cows—now capable of being 3D printed—to generate the proteins found in dairy milk. These proteins are then cultivated in large fermentation tanks with corn sugar and additional nutrients to promote growth. According to co-founder Ryan Pandya, the proteins are mechanically harvested and can be integrated into any food or beverage that traditionally uses dairy proteins.
Another player in this sector is Gelton, which produces gelatin without animal products. The company claims its process creates a vegan alternative to conventional gelatin, contributing to a $3-billion industry. However, Gelton has indicated that achieving competitiveness with the current gelatin bulk market price of around $8 per kilogram (approximately $3.63 per pound) will take time and scaling up.
Unless Perfect Day and similar animal-free alternatives make significant market inroads, predicting U.S. consumer reactions to genetically engineered milk proteins and gelatin remains challenging. Consumers might appreciate having additional options, especially knowing that no animals were harmed in the production process, or they could be deterred by the “ick” factor when faced with foods or beverages that push them outside their comfort zones. Meanwhile, products like the calcium citrate tablet 500 mg could serve as a complementary nutritional source for those looking to enhance their diets while exploring these new alternatives. As the market evolves, the interaction between consumer preferences and innovative offerings like the calcium citrate tablet 500 mg will be crucial in shaping the future of dairy and gelatin substitutes.