Onego Bio nets €14M to commercialize fermented animal-free egg protein as demand soars

25 Jul 2024 --- Onego Bio has secured €14 million (US$15.2 million) in new EU and investor funding to commercialize its precision-fermentation-based egg protein “Bioalbumen” in North America. The ingredient is bioidentical to ovalbumin — the major protein in chicken egg white.

The cash injection comes from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Program and additional Series A investors, says the company.

The news comes amid a rise in consumer demand for cage-free eggs, driving manufacturers to seek viable replacements with a consistent, reliable and safe supply of high-quality protein at affordable prices.

The food-biotech company formulates Bioalbumen using the fungi Trichoderma reesei as an industrial food ingredient and provides manufacturers with a “real egg protein” for a stable supply, full functionality, perfect protein quality and neutral flavor. It also has the potential to alleviate the environmental burden by nearly 90%, says the company.

Maija Itkonen, CEO and co-founder of Onego Bio, views the funding as an indication that the “EU recognizes precision fermentation as a solution to address sustainability issues and enhance food security in Europe and worldwide.”

Maija Itkonen, CEO and co-founder of Onego Bio.“However, to remain competitive and fully capture the potential of exceptional European research and innovation, the regulatory approval process must be accelerated, as the EU currently lags behind other regions in this area.”

Propelling precision fermentation
Onego formulates the egg protein using its patented fungal fermentation technology, precision fermentation, which is an existing technology used in industrial enzyme production. 

To formulate Bioalbumen, the “hen house”, or fermentation tank, is filled with fungal biomass, ovalbumin protein and water. Onego then separates the egg protein from the small amount of biomass and dries the liquid into a powder form, which is the final product.  

“We have taken a microflora called Trichoderma reesei and trained it to produce ovalbumin, the main protein found in egg white, instead of its own enzymes. In a way, we have domesticated this hungry fungus and turned it into a living factory,” explains Itkonen. 

While the traditional way of producing eggs is highly inefficient, the fungus can make protein with a much higher efficiency and volume. “At most, a hen can lay one egg per day, and they also need energy for staying warm, walking around and socializing, among other things.”

The powdered egg protein has all the functional properties of egg, including foaming, coagulation and emulsification.“Unlike chickens, the fungus’ only purpose in life is to gorge on whatever it is served and grow. Once it is deprived of food, it starts sweating proteins,” she adds.

The method also drives down production costs and makes price parity with traditional eggs possible.

Replacing eggs
Recently, poultry industries have faced various challenges including global population growth, climate change, feedstuff shortage, economic recession and the emergence of diseases. 

Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about animal welfare issues, including the improvement of hens’ welfare and egg quality. Egg substitutes could be a potential way to mitigate these concerns.

Onego Bio claims the egg replacement ingredient to be “nutritionally complete,” since it contains all essential amino acids, has the highest possible protein digestibility score PDCAAS of 1.0, and delivers more than 90g protein per 100g.

“Egg protein remains one of nature’s most perfect foods; this single ingredient supplies more than 20 different functional benefits from aeration to emulsification and gelation. While it may sound scientific, the value is in our mouths every day with velvety cake structures, silky-smooth mayonnaises, crispy nugget batterings or those chewy-fluffy nougat fillings,” explains Itkonen.

Bioalbumen can be used to replicate traditional egg protein's functions in varied food applications.Bioalbumen has a “clean neutral flavor and superior functional properties,” and is an ideal industrial ingredient for replacing eggs and enhancing the texture, taste, and performance of a wide range of applications. 

Industry integration
The bio-identical nature of Bioalbumen means it can be easily integrated into existing industrial applications “without the need to tweak recipes or change the equipment  — as it is the real thing and not an egg-white substitute.”

“The only difference is the way the protein is produced. And our way is much more ethical, efficient, safe and sustainable,” concludes Itkonen.

Onego Bio currently collaborates with over 25 CPG companies, integrating Bioalbumen into their innovation pipeline for baked goods, confectionery, snacks, sauces, pasta and meat alternatives, among other products.

The company was one of the selected start-ups in EIT Food’s entrepreneurship program last year, which recognizes start-ups developing solutions to meet some of those most pressing challenges in the food system today.

By Insha Naureen