Scientists Make Lactose-Free Vegan Cheese From Proteins, Tastes Like Real Cheese
The cheese is the creation of an Israeli startup ¡®Remilk¡¯. They¡¯re creating a lab-based dairy protein that helps in making a vegan, lactose-free, cholesterol-free cheese, without compromising on the taste.
In the past few weeks, we¡¯ve heard of cultured meat, where one can get to eat real chicken or meat without really harming the animal and growing the meat through cell cultures.
And now, researchers have managed to do that to create vegan cheese that tastes just like the real deal.
Remilk
The cheese is the creation of an Israeli startup ¡®Remilk¡¯. They¡¯re creating a lab-based dairy protein that helps in making a vegan, lactose-free, cholesterol-free cheese, without compromising on the taste. The star of the show is a protein called casein which is responsible for creating the taste and texture of real cheese.
Aviv Wolff, co-founder and CEO of Remilk explains in a conversation with FastCompany, ¡°This unique structure of the proteins, that has only been found in mammalian milk, is where the magic happens and is responsible for all the different qualities that we love about dairy products.¡±
He explains how while making the cheese when enzymes are added to the milk, they react with the casein that¡¯s already present, resulting in curdling of the milk. Wolff added, that the curd is sort of like the starting material for the production of several kinds of cheeses so that tiny protein is extremely important in recreating the same taste and texture.
But getting casein isn¡¯t as simple. So in order to simulate casein, they apply microbial fermentation -- similar to making beer although it is focussed to make a particular kind of protein.
Remilk
Wolff reveals that the inserted gene acts as a manual for producing the encoded protein that instructs the microbe how to produce the aforementioned protein more efficiently. This causes fermented milk proteins like cows milk. Later they add plant-based fats and sugars to make it consumable.
The end result is a cheese that¡¯s actually cheaper to produce as well as healthier while reducing the impact on the environment. It is currently pending regulatory approval to be regarded as safe for consumption, and allow it to hit the shelves.
