Israel has legalized the sale of laboratory milk, which does not require animal participation. The Israeli multinational Remilk, has the support of the Israeli Ministry of Health to be able to market its new product.
From Remilk, they state that “This is a historic decision that paves the way for the marketing and sale of non-animal dairy products made with Remilk for Israeli consumers. It also positions the country as one of the first in the world to allow consumers access to real, sustainable dairy products made without cows and free of lactose, cholesterol, antibiotics and growth hormones.”
Elaboration.
According to the company, laboratory milk is made with proteins similar to those of dairy products. They use precision fermentation and a system that eliminates the need for dairy cows in production. Furthermore, this does not affect its taste, functionality and protein values. Through this process, protein can be produced more sustainably and efficiently compared to conventional methods such as animal husbandry.
Remilk uses genetic engineering to copy the gene responsible for the production of milk protein in cows and insert it into yeast. The gene acts like a manual, instructing the yeast on how to efficiently produce milk protein. The modified yeast is then fed into fermenters, where it multiplies rapidly and produces real milk proteins, which are identical to those produced by cows. All this is combined with vitamins, minerals and fats and sugars that are not of animal origin, so they do not contain cholesterol and lactose.
“This is a defining moment, not just for Remilk, but for the entire global alternative protein industry and the state of Israel, one of the first in the world to recognize the importance of precision fermentation,” says Aviv Wolff, CEO. and co-founder of Remilk.
“Opening the Israeli market to real animal-free dairy products will place Israel not only at the forefront of global food technology research and development, but also as a world-leading market for novel food consumption. Today's news opens the door for the introduction of high-quality and nutritious animal-free dairy products," concludes Wolff.
