CULT Food Science Corp has announced that its affiliate Jellatech Inc has achieved a major milestone in creating and producing its first cell-based collagen product.
Jellatech, a biotech start-up company dedicated to the sustainable production of animal-free collagen, successfully developed the full-length, triple-helical and functional collagen made from its own proprietary cell lines after two years of research and development, the Vancouver-based company said.
“We are proud of Jellatech for producing its first cell-based collagen. It truly is a step in the right direction for the venture, as well as for the cellular agriculture industry,” said CULT CEO Lejjy Gafour in a statement.
“A milestone like this is key to achieving the global goal of creating a future with a more sustainable food industry,” he added.
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The production of cell-based collagen is a significant advancement for Jellatech, an investment CULT made in early 2022 that is proving to be fruitful.
Given collagen’s universal demand and variety of uses, sustainable alternatives to its sourcing and production are much needed. The cellular agriculture industry, as a whole, is aiming to replace major aspects of the animal farming industry, including the production of cultivated meat and by-products like collagen, the company said.
Traditional collagen is produced by boiling and processing cow hides and bones, CULT noted, adding that Jellatech’s collagen is bio-identical to native collagen but does not require the use of animals in its production.
“It is becoming more and more evident that we need to change many of our existing practices and the way that we sustain our planet,” said Stephanie Michelsen, CEO of Jellatech. “This achievement just shows that we have a way and now we have laid the stepping stones for a sustainable future of protein production.”
CULT, the first-of-its-kind investment platform in North America, focuses exclusively on advancing the development of novel technologies to provide a sustainable, environmental, and ethical solution to the global factory farming crisis.
It aims to provide individual investors with unprecedented exposure to the most innovative start-up, private or early-stage cultivated meat, cell-based dairy and other cultured food companies around the world.
“Being able to watch companies like Jellatech that are as dedicated to cellular agriculture, sustainability and food security as we are is very rewarding, as it means that we are on the right path and the global food security crisis may one day be a thing of the past. The CULT team is excited to see what Jellatech continues to create and is keen to continue helping Jellatech in any way,” CULT CEO Gafour concluded.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com