Argentina’s Moolec: First Molecular Farming Company to Achieve USDA Approval for Plant-Grown Animal Proteins

Moolec (NASDAQ: MLEC), a leading Molecular Farming food-ingredient company founded in Argentina, has marked a significant milestone in biotechnology with the conclusion of the Regulatory Status Review (RSR) by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its genetically engineered soybean, Piggy Sooy™.

The USDA-APHIS RSR findings affirm that Moolec’s genetically engineered soybean, designed to accumulate animal meat protein, poses no increased plant pest risk compared to non-engineered soybeans. Consequently, the product falls outside the scope of APHIS regulation governing genetically engineered organisms, as outlined in 7 CFR part 340.

Gastón Paladini, CEO & Co-Founder of Moolec Science, expressed pride in the company’s achievement, emphasizing the alignment with Nasdaq’s ethos of “Rewrite Tomorrow.” He underscored the significance of leveraging science to address pressing challenges such as climate change and food security, highlighting Moolec’s commitment to delivering value to both shareholders and the planet.

The approval of Piggy Sooy™ by USDA-APHIS solidifies Moolec’s business-to-business (B2B) go-to-market strategy for its innovative food ingredient. By enhancing standard soybean proteins with a well-known animal meat protein, namely porcine myoglobin, the company aims to offer food manufacturers a unique ingredient with a positive environmental footprint.

Martin Salinas, Chief of Technology & Co-Founder at Moolec, hailed the milestone as a potential catalyst for revolutionizing the food-industrial biotech landscape. He envisioned expedited adoption of Molecular Farming technology by industry players and highlighted the implications for operational efficiency and raw material sourcing optimization.

In a previous announcement in June 2023, Moolec disclosed the successful achievement of high levels of pork protein expression in Piggy Sooy™ seeds, reaching up to 26.6% of the total soluble protein. The company’s patented technology underpins this breakthrough, which is now progressing through consultation with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Moolec remains committed to the regulatory process, actively engaging with the FDA to facilitate the commercial availability of Piggy Sooy™ as a sustainable food ingredient.