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.
PoLoPo and its roots
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
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
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
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
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
While derived from genetically engineered plants, the resulting protein powder contains no genetic material and is considered non-GMO.
PoLoPo protein coming soon
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.
