Solar Foods, a Finnish food tech company, has received regulatory approval for Solein, a new sustainable protein powder grown using hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The approval comes from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and allows for the sale of foods containing Solein in Singapore. Solar Foods’ first commercial production facility, Factory 01, is planned to start operations in 2024.
An animal-free protein, Solein is grown from a single cell using hydrogen and carbon dioxide and can be used in food formulations to replace proteins in multiple foods, including bread, noodles and pasta, snacks and beverages, spreads and toppings, and alternative meat and dairy. Not limited by traditional agriculture, the yellow powder has the potential to transform the sustainability, availability, and transparency of food production.
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The production of Solein happens via a bioprocess where microbes are fed carbon dioxide, hydrogen, oxygen, and a small amount of nutrients. The process is similar to fermentation in winemaking, where the carbon dioxide and hydrogen replace sugar as respective sources of carbon and energy.
“I’d compare this to the discovery of the potato: we are introducing an entirely new ingredient to the world of food,” said Solar Foods CEO Pasi Vainikka.
Solar Foods intends to seek GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status assessment for the new protein in the U.S., and has filed applications for novel food authorization in other key markets such as the UK and the EU.
Solein could answer the challenge of growing food without arable land in “deserts, Arctic regions, cities, or even outer space,” Vainikka said.
Established in 2017, Solar Foods’ mission is to revolutionize global food production in a sustainable way that protects the climate, soil, and biodiversity of the planet.
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