Aug 2026· Trends in Biotechnology· 0 citations· 39 references
Medicine
Abstract
Dairy proteins are among the most nutritionally and functionally valuable proteins used in food, clinical nutrition, and infant nutrition, yet their supply remains structurally linked to livestock production and dairy processing streams. Precision fermentation offers, based on proven technology, a route to produce individual milk proteins independently of animal agriculture while preserving their molecular identity and application potential. Recent advances in host engineering, secretion capacity, and bioprocess optimization have moved recombinant milk proteins from proof-of-concept toward industrial relevance. However, not all milk proteins are equally tractable fermentation targets. In this opinion article, we examine β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, and caseins through the lens of nutritional value, functionality, manufacturing complexity, and commercial readiness. We argue that future success will depend less on sequence expression alone than on scalable biomanufacturing technology and know-how, post-translational fidelity, and application-driven target prioritization.
This work explores the development of animal-free proteins produced in laboratory settings using innovative technologies such as precision fermentation, submerged fermentation, plant cell culture, and molecular engineering, which enable the production of high-quality proteins without relying on animal farming or large-scale traditional agriculture.
Milk proteins deliver nutritional, functional, and bioactive properties that alternative protein sources cannot adequately replicate, yet conventional livestock-based production faces compounding constraints of scalability, resource intensity, and sustainability. Precision fermentation offers a structurally distinct solution, but existing reviews have addressed neither a systematic cross-species framework for target selection nor a treatment of post-translational modifications (PTMs) gap-bridging, leaving critical gaps in rational pipeline design. This review integrates four analyses: a cross-species comparison of sequence, structural, and PTMs characteristics across human, bovine, goat, and camel milk proteins to inform target prioritization; a consolidation of advances in host engineering, fermentation scale-up, and downstream purification; a structural-functional comparison of precision-fermented and native milk proteins encompassing phosphorylation, disulfide bond pairing, and glycosylation fidelity, alongside strategies for bridging identified PTMs gaps; and an evaluation of AI-driven optimization strategies for heterologous milk protein expression. Cross-species analysis favors human-derived sequences for infant nutrition and immunity, while ruminant proteins excel in expression compatibility and scalability. α-Lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin are the most tractable targets given minimal PTM dependency; caseins and lactoferrin require intracellular phosphorylation and glycosylation unavailable in microbial hosts. AI accelerates process optimization but cannot yet co-optimize yield, folding fidelity, and PTM accuracy, a key frontier for next-generation engineering. Scale-up robustness, glycoengineering consistency, and regulatory definition remain underexplored.
Zhengtao Guo, Kun Ye, Zhenye Shi et al.· Comprehensive Reviews in Foo...· 0 citations
The escalating global population and the environmentally inefficient nature of livestock-based protein production are intensifying demand for sustainable and scalable protein alternatives. Microbial biosynthesis, employing engineered cell factories, represents a pivotal strategy for producing functional proteins with a reduced ecological footprint. This review comprehensively examines the biosynthesis of alternative proteins (APs) via microbial precision fermentation, encompassing diverse categories including coloring proteins, flavoring and taste proteins, structuring and texturizing proteins, nutritional and functional proteins, food processing and enabling proteins, and special functional proteins. Enabling technologies, from fermentation feedstock and microbial host selection to genome/metabolic engineering, bioprocess optimization via response surface methodology/artificial neural networks, and downstream purification, are critically analyzed. Emerging strategies demonstrate substantial progress in enhancing microbial titers, achieving functional mimicry, and advancing regulatory readiness. However, persistent challenges include precise flavor replication, nutritional completeness, and food safety concerns such as allergenicity and process contaminants. Potential solutions, including advanced metabolic engineering, refined protein extraction, biocontainment strategies, and transparent regulatory frameworks, are discussed. By integrating technological innovation with targeted application mapping and regulatory foresight, this review outlines a roadmap toward scalable, safe, and functionally robust microbial AP platforms, thereby contributing to the transition toward a sustainable food system.
Zewei Lu, Zhuoer Chen, Dianqi Yang et al.· Comprehensive Reviews in Foo...· 0 citations
Lactase (β-galactosidase, EC 3.2.1.23) hydrolyses lactose into glucose and galactose and plays a central role in the production of lactose-free and low-lactose dairy products. This review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature published mainly between 2018 and 2026 on lactase sources, mechanisms, industrial applications, limitations, and emerging engineering strategies. Lactase-mediated hydrolysis supports the production of lactose-free milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, whey protein powders, and infant formulas while largely preserving nutritional and sensory quality. However, wider industrial application remains constrained by enzyme sensitivity to temperature and pH, high production and purification costs, and inconsistent regulatory thresholds for lactose-free and low-lactose labelling. Recent advances in protein engineering, directed evolution, and enzyme immobilization, including metal-organic frameworks, electrospun nanofibers, and agro-industrial waste-derived supports, have improved thermostability, reusability, and resistance to product inhibition. Combining lactase treatment with ultrafiltration, microencapsulation, and high-pressure processing, alongside whey valorization, offers opportunities for more sustainable and cost-effective production. Key research gaps include limited techno-economic and life-cycle assessments, insufficient consumer-acceptance evidence from underrepresented regions, and the early-stage development of personalized lactase-nutrition approaches. Interdisciplinary research integrating enzymology, process engineering, regulatory science, and consumer research is therefore needed to advance lactase-enabled dairy products globally.
Unknown authors· Journal of Agricultural Poli...· 0 citations
Biotechnology has become an important tool in the dairy industry by improving milk production, product quality, processing efficiency, and environmental sustainability. It has enabled the development of advanced starter cultures, microbial enzymes, probiotics, and genetically modified microorganisms that enhance the production of cheese, yogurt, fermented milk products, and other value-added dairy foods. Biotechnological approaches such as accelerated cheese ripening, designer milk production, and the development of functional dairy products have improved nutritional quality, shelf life, and consumer health benefits. In addition, biotechnology plays a significant role in the effective utilization of whey and dairy waste by converting them into valuable products, thereby reducing environmental pollution. Recent research has also demonstrated the potential of probiotic and prebiotic dairy products in improving human health and supporting specialized nutrition. Despite these advancements, challenges such as high production costs, biosafety concerns, ethical issues, regulatory requirements, and consumer acceptance continue to limit large-scale adoption. Overall, biotechnology offers tremendous opportunities for developing innovative, safe, and sustainable dairy products while supporting the future growth of the dairy industry.
Keywords: Biotechnology, Dairy Industry, Probiotics, Dairy Enzymes, Functional Dairy Products, Designer Milk, Whey Utilization, Sustainability.
Manjushree S. Malve, R. J. Desale, B. D. Patil et al.· International Journal of Cre...· 0 citations
Recent advances and future potential in engineering methylotrophic yeasts for food protein production, with particular focus on Komagataella phaffii are reviewed, addressing the dual goals of improving both yield and quality.
Bing-Yin Peng, Masahiro Tominaga, Jun Ishii et al.· Metabolic Engineering· 1 citation
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