World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16th October, and was originally established to mark the founding of the United Nations Food And Agriculture Organisation in 1945. The day highlights the importance of building food systems that can feed a growing population sustainably. As climate pressures, resource constraints and demand for food challenge conventional production methods, researchers and businesses experiment with manufacturing methods and alternative ingredients to produce new and evermore interesting food sources.
Emerging technologies now enable manufacturers to produce specific functional ingredients, such as proteins, fats and flavourings, using microorganisms, easing the strain on traditional sources. One particular microorganism attracting significant attention is genetically engineered yeast. Traditionally used to make bread, beer and other fermented foods, yeast is now being harnessed in increasingly sophisticated ways. It can be used to produce animal-free dairy and egg proteins, protein-rich biomass, tailored fats and flavour-enhancing ingredients.
However, technological progress alone cannot guarantee success in the marketplace. Consumers expect food products containing alternative proteins to provide the same (or at least a similar) taste, texture and affordability as traditionally manufactured goods. Furthermore, scaling production economically and securing regulatory approval remain significant challenges which businesses within this field must overcome.
In this article, we look at some of the latest developments using yeast as a tool for food production, and how intellectual property (IP) plays an important role in incentivising innovation and helping businesses scale effectively.
Precision fermentation: yeast as a factory
Precision fermentation involves the cultivation of genetically modified microorganisms, such as yeast, in a bioreactor. The microorganisms are modified by inserting a desirable gene, such as those responsible for producing proteins in cow whey, into the DNA of yeast or bacteria, effectively programming it to produce that molecule. As the modified microbes consume feedstock and multiply, they manufacture the desired molecule, which is then extracted and purified. To date, scientists have successfully genetically modified yeast so as to manufacture products traditionally obtained from animals, including casein, citric acid, albumin, rennet and whey proteins which are crucial for cheese, milk and yoghurt products.
In a recent development, Those Vegan Cowboys in collaboration with Interfood, HAS green academy and XXL Nutrition secured €1.29 million in public funding to further develop the production of casein through precision fermentation as well as reviewing its performance in finished food products and consumer acceptance. This partnership demonstrates the importance of replicating the functionality of animal proteins, not just their nutritional composition.
In an alternative use of this technology, companies such as like Oobli, are using precision fermentation to develop sweet proteins, such as brazzein, monllin and thaumatin. Some of these sweet proteins have been found to be 1,000 to 5,000 times sweeter than their traditional counterparts and so are considered to provide a healthier means of reducing sugar in everyday foods.
Single-cell protein: yeast as the ingredient
Unlike precision fermentation, which uses microorganisms as microscopic factories to produce a particular molecule, single-cell protein (SCP) production uses the microorganisms themselves as the product. Yeasts are a particularly promising source of protein production due to the well-established scale-up procedures, advantageous nutritional profile and metabolic adaptability, as well as being a regulatory approved food worldwide. Yeast can be cultivated in large bioreactors under controlled conditions, with a carbon source providing energy and building material for growth alongside nutrients such as nitrogen, minerals and vitamins. Temperature, pH and oxygen levels are managed to encourage the yeast to multiply and accumulate biomass. The cells can then be harvested, processed and dried into a protein-rich ingredient.
Whilst single-cell protein production is considered to be a more environmentally friendly means of manufacturing food products, new research is focussed on ways of further improving the sustainability of this process (as discussed in “Recent Advances in Sustainable Yeast-Based Single-Cell Protein Production from Renewable Substrates Using Engineering Approaches” J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2026). In particular, this research looks at the use of food-processing waste and agricultural by-products which might otherwise be discarded as a more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective feedstock source. In addition, “Yeast single-cell proteins from CO2 with tandem biological systems” Food Biotechnology , 2026 looks at recent developments in the use of CO2 as a carbon source for yeast SCP, reverting carbon emissions back into food production for a more sustainable and circular system. The method involves two separate processes: firstly, autotrophic microbes, such as acetogens, convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or industrial off-gases to a substrate, such as acetate if acetogen is the host used, through the process of carbon fixation. Secondly, the substrate is fed to the yeast for SCP production.
SCP creates a route to protein production that is less dependent on growing crops specifically for food ingredients or animal feed.
Yeast as a flavour technology
For alternative ingredients to become established within the market, the products formed must be appealing in terms of taste, texture and colouring. However, some plant-based proteins have been reported as producing undesirable beany, bitter or earthy notes.
Yeast has also been shown to provide a pathway for addressing this secondary issue. Yeast fermentation can be used to transform sugars into key aromatic compounds via metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis, proteolysis and lipolysis, to form volatile flavourants, such as esters, carbonyls, fatty acid derivatives and sulphur, which can enhance the taste profile and flavour complexity of food products, and act as substitutes for synthetic chemicals. Hamburg-based company, Ohly, for example, is producing yeast extracts through fermentation which enhance the perception of flavours already present and veil unpleasant tastes with the yeast’s natural savoury and umami-rich flavour, overcoming the gap between taste and nutrition.
Beyond alternative proteins
The landscape of sustainable food production is transitioning from a focus on alternative proteins to other ingredients. Yeast can convert sugars into lipids with specific properties, such as a particular melting point, texture, fatty acid composition and stability, so that they can be used in the production of food, such as palm oil, cocoa butter or meat alternatives. The lipids accumulate within the yeast cell bodies and can be released by splitting open the cells. The yeast, Yarrowia lipolyitca, for example, naturally accumulates large amounts of lipids, making it an attractive platform for producing customised fats. Y. lipolytica is widely used in precision fermentation due to its ability to accumulate high lipid content and its perceived industrial robustness.
Sun Bear Biofuture, based in Oxford, is tackling the supply chain issues encountered by the vegetable oil and cocoa butter market by using yeast to produce fats and oils. Last month, the company released results of their consumer testing which trialled microbial fat as a substitute for cocoa butter and palm oil. The independent consumer study tested the perception of three foods, chips, chocolate spread and cookies, as well as two cosmetics products, hand balm and body butter, comparing items made using Sun Bear Biofuture’s oil and cocoa butter alternatives with items made using traditional ingredients. Four of the five products tested containing the substitute ingredient were judged as equal or preferable to the traditional counterpart.
How IP supports innovation and commercial growth
The science in yeast-based food technology has made leaps and bounds over the years and companies are demonstrating their ability to commercialise their inventions. However, they still face obstacles in manufacturing at scale and affordably. IP plays a crucial role in transforming research into tangible impact.
Developing yeast strains, optimising fermentation and building production facilities requires significant upfront funding before a technology is market ready. A well-managed IP portfolio can make a business more attractive to investors by showing that it will retain a competitive advantage and its technology has clear commercial value.
Intellectual property can also create additional revenue streams. Businesses in the food and drink sector do not necessarily need to manufacture and sell every ingredient or product they develop. They can license their technology to other manufacturers in exchange for royalties. This can be beneficial for startup companies developing innovative technology who do not yet have access to or the means to build manufacturing infrastructure. When entering into commercial partnerships, having a clear understanding of your IP rights is essential to set clear boundaries on ownership and how the technology can be used.
It is important to develop an IP strategy early to avoid disclosure of the technology which could prevent a business obtaining patent protection at a later date. The IP strategy should align with the business model, the business’ commercial goals and the competitive landscape, which will influence, for example, in what jurisdictions to seek patent protection.
All in all, IP incentivises innovation by ensuring that researchers are sufficiently rewarded, as well as enabling collaboration between different parties.
What can patents protect?
For businesses innovating in yeast engineering, IP protection can extend across multiple stages of development, rather than only being applicable to the final ingredient.
For example, it can be possible to seek protection for the yeast itself which has been genetically engineered to produce a particular ingredient. The technical effect requirement can be met by specific modifications which yield improved results, such as a greater production of protein or enhanced protein secretion. Processes are also patentable, including the overall precision fermentation process, as well as innovative intermediate steps, such as the selection of a particular feedstock, the optimised conditions for fermentation, methods for extracting and purifying the ingredient from the fermentation broth. It is also possible to protect the use of particular ingredients, for example to improve a food’s taste profile.
Yeast is a highly promising solution to the issues faced by the current food system, surfacing as a platform for food production which can be programmed in a myriad of ways. Science is advancing rapidly, but manufacturing economics, regulatory approval, infrastructure and consumer acceptance are still major bottlenecks.
A well-planned IP strategy therefore considers not only what a business has developed today, but also how its technology may evolve as it scales. By identifying valuable innovations early and choosing appropriate protection, yeast food technology companies can strengthen their position as they work to bring new ingredients to market.
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