Moolec Science produces bovine myoglobin in pea seeds in molecular farming breakthrough

Moolec Science has announced the successful expression of bovine myoglobin in pea seeds, marking a new development in molecular farming as the company expands its platform into additional crop systems.

• Moolec Science demonstrated stable expression of bovine myoglobin in pea seeds, marking the first reported case in this crop.
• The 28-month research project confirmed reproducibility across generations and validated the company’s molecular farming platform in legumes.
• The development positioned peas as a potential scalable system for producing animal-derived proteins using plant-based infrastructure.

The work, conducted through a sponsored research project with a US academic institution, represents a step forward in the production of animal proteins within plants. Myoglobin, a heme-containing protein, plays a key role in the flavor and color of meat, making it a target for alternative protein development.

Moolec reported that the protein was stably expressed in pea seeds across multiple generations, confirming both reproducibility and genetic stability. The company also stated that proprietary genetic constructs were successfully deployed in the legume crop, demonstrating the flexibility of its molecular farming platform.

The research marked the first reported instance of bovine myoglobin production in pea seeds, extending Moolec’s technology beyond its existing crop base and opening new pathways for protein production.

Peas are widely cultivated and already integrated into global protein supply chains, particularly in plant-based food applications. Moolec indicated that this made the crop an attractive platform for scaling the production of recombinant proteins with existing agricultural infrastructure.

Alejandro Antalich, CEO of Moolec Science, said the results demonstrated both the scalability and adaptability of the company’s approach. “This is not just a scientific milestone; it is a clear signal of the scalability and versatility of our platform. Successfully expressing a heme protein in pea is a powerful validation of our ability to expand our technology across crops and product categories. This is how we build a pipeline, not just a product, and how we translate innovation into long-term, scalable value for our shareholders.”

Molecular farming involves engineering plants to produce specific proteins or compounds, combining agricultural production with biotechnology. In this case, Moolec integrated animal-derived protein functionality into a plant system, aiming to combine the cost efficiency of crops with the properties associated with conventional animal proteins.

The company stated that the findings further supported its intellectual property portfolio, which includes more than 50 granted and pending patent applications across multiple technology platforms.

Moolec’s broader strategy combines molecular farming with precision fermentation to develop alternative proteins, bioactive compounds and other ingredients for food and agricultural applications. Its operations span the USA, Europe and South America, with a focus on scaling protein production through crop-based systems.

The development reflects growing interest in molecular farming as a potential route to producing animal proteins without traditional livestock systems, using established agricultural supply chains as a production base.

By demonstrating the feasibility of expressing myoglobin in a widely cultivated legume, the company has added to a growing body of research exploring how plant systems can be used to produce functional proteins for food applications.