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Precision-fermented bovine lactoferrin

Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein found in small amounts in cow's milk. In precision fermentation an engineered yeast, Komagataella phaffii, carries the cow's lactoferrin gene and secretes the protein, which is separated from the yeast, purified and spray-dried. It is a boundary entry, since the yeast makes one protein and nothing is soured or turned to alcohol.

Fully documentedOther4 days

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedIndustrial amounts are not published. The process numbers below come from a 1 L lab batch (Iglesias-Figueroa 2016); the purification steps are from the FDA letter on TurtleTree's process.
Engineered Komagataella phaffii carrying the bovine lactoferrin geneTurtleTree's strain M020 carries two copies of the gene, codon-optimised for the yeast[fda-grn1219]
Buffered growth medium, then methanol to induceLab recipe (BMMY medium at pH 6.0); industrial media are not published[iglesias2016]
StarterThe production strain, Komagataella phaffii M020 (TurtleTree), is engineered to carry the bovine lactoferrin gene and is grown in the fermenter.

Total time across the recorded steps: 4 days

Start
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shapes, not to countYeasts30 °CpH 6

What changes: Engineered yeast multiplies in a warm, aerated fermenter

Step 1 of 4
Grow the yeast
Time
24 h
Reported
Temperature
30 °C
Reported
Salt
None given
Acidity
pH 6
Reported
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Yeasts
Pichia pastoris

Output: yeast culture.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

yeast multiplies

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

At a glance

Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein found in small amounts in cow's milk. In precision fermentation an engineered yeast, Komagataella phaffii, carries the cow's lactoferrin gene and secretes the protein, which is separated from the yeast, purified and spray-dried. It is a boundary entry, since the yeast makes one protein and nothing is soured or turned to alcohol. Made in 4 steps over 4 days. The longest step, add methanol so the yeast makes lactoferrin, takes 3 days (Iglesias-Figueroa B 2016). Komagataella phaffii does most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main step3 daysReported[iglesias2016]Add methanol so the yeast makes lactoferrin
Temperature30 °CReported[iglesias2016]Grow the yeast
AciditypH 6Reported[iglesias2016]Grow the yeast

What makes this one different

Unlike traditional ferments, the yeast is a factory for one milk protein, which is purified out after the yeast is spun and filtered off. Unlike lactoferrin from milk, no cow is involved.

Related ferments

Safety

The protein has the same amino-acid sequence as cow's milk lactoferrin, so it can trigger milk allergy and must be labelled as a milk allergen. FDA had no questions about TurtleTree's notice (GRN 1219). The lab method adds methanol, a flammable liquid that can damage the optic nerve and cause blindness, so this is a lab process and not a home recipe.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

FDA GRAS notices: GRN 1219, TurtleTree (K. phaffii M020), received 30 September 2024 and closed with a no-questions letter on 7 May 2025; GRN 1284, All G (K. phaffii Ppas_337), closed with a no-questions letter on 25 March 2026.

  1. [fda-grn1219] US FDA, response letter to GRAS Notice GRN 001219 (TurtleTree, recombinant bovine lactoferrin isolate produced by Komagataella phaffii M020), 2025gov
  2. [fda-inventory] US FDA GRAS Notice Inventory, GRN No. 1219 and No. 1284 (read 2026-10)gov
  3. [niosh-methanol] US CDC NIOSH, Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Methyl alcoholgov
  4. [iglesias2016] Iglesias-Figueroa B., Valdiviezo-Godina N., Siqueiros-Cendón T. et al. 2016, High-level expression of recombinant bovine lactoferrin in Pichia pastoris with antimicrobial activity, International Journal of Molecular Sciences 17(6):902paper