
32: Could Lab-generated Lactoferrin Be Healthier, Cheaper, and Better for the Planet?
From Talking Climate by The Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy
November 25, 2025 · 27 min · Season 3 · Episode 32
About this episode
The episode discusses De Novo Foodlabs' innovative approach to synthesizing lactoferrin through precision fermentation and its potential benefits.
Episode Intro: One of the two runners up for the Wilkes Center Climate Launch Prize this past year is De Novo Foodlabs, a startup with operations in North Carolina and Cape Town, South Africa, which is focused on using precision fermentation to synthesize a new kind of lactoferrin. I had to read up on this myself, but Lactoferrin, is a nutrient found exclusively in milk from mammals. It’s in human breast milk, but commonly it’s harvest from cow’s milk and sold as an ingredient for infan...
Topics covered
- lab-generated food
- precision fermentation
- sustainable nutrition
- health benefits
- climate impact
Keywords
- lactoferrin
- precision fermentation
- sustainable food
- healthier alternatives
- climate launch prize
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: De Novo Foodlabs
Products: lactoferrin
Places: North Carolina, Cape Town, South Africa
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