San Francisco-based The Every Company has been granted a new patent (US 12/096,784 ) covering the scope and use of its precision fermentation-derived ovalbumin.
The scope of the patent includes wild-type ovalbumin variants with performance enhancements and extends to ovalbumin sourced from various avian species, produced using yeast and fungal strains like Pichia, Trichoderma, Saccharomyces, and Aspergillus.
“This patent is the culmination of nearly a decade’s worth of research”
The patent covers the use of the novel protein in a wide range of food formulations if combined with at least one additional consumable ingredient (flour, sugar, fats). It spans diverse product formats, such as baked goods, meat, meat analogs, ready-to-eat egg products, whipped cream, ice cream, meringues, and more. It also addresses functional applications, including hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness, and foam stability in both liquid and powder forms.
Co-founder and CEO Arturo Elizondo shared, “This patent is the culmination of nearly a decade’s worth of research and solidifies our position as a leader in the space. We are excited to build on this achievement and will continue advancing our intellectual property.”
©The EVERY Co.
Nature-equivalent proteins
The patent news follows EVERY’s partnership announcements with major companies like Unilever, Grupo Palacios, and Grupo Nutresa as it prepares to enter the mass market.
The Californian biotech company aims to create a secure and accessible global food system by supplying nature-equivalent protein ingredients through precision fermentation. Its FDA-approved ingredients include EVERY EggWhite, which replaces egg functionality in various applications, and EVERY Protein, a soluble, invisible protein that enhances everyday food and beverages, from coffee to juices.
“This patent represents a significant milestone and solidifies EVERY’s position as a leader in food technology, especially in the field of egg protein replacements.”
© The Every Company
The functionality of eggs
Ovalbumin is the dominant protein in egg whites, making up over 54% of their protein content. It is crucial for eggs’ functional properties, such as foaming, binding, and gelling.
Other companies developing animal-free ovalbumin include:
Onego Bio – US-Finnish: Produces a bio-identical egg protein made with precision fermentation called Bioalbumen. The ingredient is said to offer perfect protein quality, full functionality, and neutral flavor while reducing the environmental impact of traditional egg production by up to 90%.
Forte Protein – USA: Uses lettuce and kale as bio-factories to produce various animal proteins, including ovalbumin. Its molecular farming platform can be installed in greenhouses and is said to be scalable, sustainable, and waste-free, as it repurposes waste as fertilizer and plant waste to be used as feedstock, fertilizer, or biofuel.
PoLoPo – Israel: Produces the egg protein ovalbumin and patatin — potatoes’ native protein — via molecular farming tech and potato plants. The company has already deployed a cultivation platform and developed a downstream process to convert the proteins into a powder that can be streamlined in current manufacturing. The startup is seeking GRAS approval in the US to establish ovalbumin-producing farms in partnership with local farmers.
Elizondo added, “Ovalbumin is the protein behind EVERY’s egg white replacement as a B2B ingredient in dozens of the toughest applications and is also the sole protein powering the EVERY Egg, which debuted at 3-Michelin star restaurant Eleven Madison Park last year in applications ranging from pisco sours to coddled egg vinaigrettes to chawanmushi and the iconic omelet.”
