In a ground-breaking move for the field of molecular farming, Israeli biotech company PoLoPo has submitted its genetically engineered "SuperAA" potato platform to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for regulatory approval. If given the green light, PoLoPo would become the first company to commercially grow transgenic plants in the United States for the purpose of producing food proteins.
![A person with blue gloves holds freshly harvested red potatoes covered in soil. The green leafy potato plant is visible in the background. The scene is brightly lit.](https://i0.wp.com/immigrantstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Introduction-7.png)
PoLoPo and its roots
![Three women are working with plants inside a greenhouse. One woman in a maroon shirt is in the foreground smiling while handling a seedling. The other two, one in a green shirt and the other in a light blue shirt, are also tending to plants.](https://i0.wp.com/immigrantstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PoLoPo-and-Its-Roots.png)
Founded in 2022, PoLoPo is an Israeli molecular farming company that produces animal proteins in potatoes, starting with ovalbumin in plants.
The USDA application is necessary for the company's SuperAA platform
![A sign in front of a building reads "United States Department of Agriculture Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building." The sign is surrounded by greenery, flowers, and trees, with part of a multi-story stone building visible in the background.](https://i0.wp.com/immigrantstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/The-USDA-application-is-necessary-for-the-company.png)
The approval for the SuperAA platform, which turns the potato plant into a micro-biofactory derived from metabolic engineering techniques, is expected within 6 months.
This gives PoLoPo the go signal to create transgenic potato plants
![A person wearing a navy blue t-shirt is watering plants in a greenhouse. They are using a clear plastic jug to pour water onto the greenery surrounding them. The greenhouse has a simple structure with a white covering and supporting poles.](https://i1.wp.com/immigrantstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/This-gives-PoLoPo-the-go-signal.png)
This will enable PoLoPo to grow transgenic potato plants in the US through partners and local growers. Additionally, once granted approval, the USDA will establish that PoLoPo's Super AA platform poses no agricultural or pest risk compared to traditional potato growing.
PoLoPo CEO says this is an important milestone for molecular farming
![A woman with curly hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a black t-shirt with the logo "POL E PO" and a gold necklace. The background is plain and gray.](https://i1.wp.com/immigrantstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PoLoPo-CEO-says-this-is-an-important-milestone-for-molecular-farming.png)
The production of ovalbumin in plants, not animals, will transform food processing with a price- and supply chain-stable option and set off a domino effect on sustainability, a big first step toward changing our food industry, said PoLoPo CEO, Maya Sapir-Mir, PhD.
How the process works
![A person wearing a white lab coat and red nail polish uses tweezers to handle a small plant in a clear container. The workbench has various laboratory equipment in the background.](https://i1.wp.com/immigrantstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/How-the-process-works.png)
Potato plants manufacture the target proteins in the plant and store them in the tuber. Once the tubers are harvested, their proteins are extracted and dried into a powder that integrates seamlessly into current food processing lines and formulations.
The resulting powder is non-GMO
![The image shows shelves filled with multiple transparent containers, each containing small plants or plant samples. The containers are organized neatly on metal racks under bright lighting, indicating a laboratory setting for plant research or propagation.](https://i1.wp.com/immigrantstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/The-resulting-powder-is-non-GMO.png)
While derived from genetically engineered plants, the resulting protein powder contains no genetic material and is considered non-GMO.
PoLoPo protein coming soon
![Two hands with red nail polish hold a petri dish containing green plant samples. The background shows multiple containers with similar plant samples and a digital display, likely indicating a temperature or timer. This setting appears to be a laboratory.](https://i0.wp.com/immigrantstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PoLoPo-protein-coming-soon.png)
PoLoPo’s protein will soon be available to the food industry for testing. Many will be divided about franken-potatoes, while others may be drawn by the promise of this new plant-based protein that's good for the environment. And then, there's the ethical question of whether a plant that tastes like egg is actually vegan. Where do you stand on the debate? Only time will tell if PoLoPo's gamble opens the door for more genetically engineered proteins.
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