Noumi advances precision fermentation ambitions through FaBA lactoferrin partnership

Australian dairy and nutrition company Noumi is working with Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) on a new research project to develop and scale the production of recombinant bovine lactoferrin using precision fermentation, as it looks to complement its existing milk-derived supply of the high-value protein.

• Noumi and FaBA are collaborating to develop recombinant bovine lactoferrin using precision fermentation.
• The project builds on earlier research with Monash University and is now focused on scaling production at The University of Queensland.
• Funding is secured through to December 2027, with the project aiming to establish proof-of-concept fermentation and prepare initial regulatory documentation.

Noumi is one of Australia's major suppliers of bovine lactoferrin through its PUREnFERRIN brand, currently extracting the multifunctional protein from cow's milk through a process that requires significant volumes of milk alongside complex and costly processing.

The new project aims to produce bovine lactoferrin using engineered yeast through precision fermentation, enabling microbes to manufacture the protein in what Noumi describes as a more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable way.

The initiative follows an earlier research and development project with Monash University, which confirmed the technical feasibility of the approach. The collaboration with FaBA now shifts the focus towards scaling production and preparing the technology for future commercialization.

Noumi said the research represents an important step towards producing "this valuable, multifunctional protein in a sustainable way."

"Through a co-funded project with FaBA, research is now underway at The University of Queensland where specialised teams are helping push this innovation forward," the company said.

"With funding secured through to December 2027, we've got a clear runway to keep building."

Working alongside researchers at The University of Queensland's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, the project aims to establish microbial strains capable of producing bovine lactoferrin at significant scale, while also developing a proof-of-concept fermentation process and preparing initial regulatory documentation.

The institute said: "By the end of this FaBA research project, Noumi will have developed microbial strains that can produce bLf at a significant scale, established a proof-of-concept fermentation process, and prepared initial regulatory documents.

"Overall, this project will help Noumi maintain its position as a leading producer of high-quality bLf as demand for this protein continues to rise."

The announcement also highlights FaBA's continued investment in Australia's emerging food biomanufacturing ecosystem. Industry body Cellular Agriculture Australia said the collaboration represents another example of translational research helping precision fermentation technologies progress towards commercial deployment.

"This also marks another important co-investment by FaBA in Australia's food biomanufacturing capability," the organization said.

"Alongside previous co-investments supporting precision fermentation companies, such as Eclipse Ingredients, it reflects the important role that translational research partnerships can play in helping innovative technologies move towards commercial scale."

Separately, Noumi also announced that its Director of Science and Nutrition, Sonja Kukuljan, has received the Australian Food and Grocery Council's Achievement Award for Nutrition and Regulation.

The company said Kukuljan had helped shape evidence-based nutrition policy through her work on the AFGC Nutrition and Regulation Committee, while also leading research into the immune properties of lactoferrin and developing research partnerships with universities across Australia.

"Through her work on the AFGC Nutrition and Regulation Committee, Sonja has helped shape some of the most pragmatic, evidence-based nutrition policy outcomes our industry has produced outcomes that hold up scientifically and work commercially.

"She's led our investigation into the immune properties of lactoferrin and built research partnerships with universities across Australia. She's also mentored a generation of emerging nutrition scientists who are now shaping the field themselves," Noumi said.