Biotech Companies Are Trying To Make Milk Without Cows

Avian influenza outbreaks on US dairy farms have raised concerns about milk safety, leading some to consider alternatives like engineered milk proteins. Startups like Remilk and Alpine Bio are using yeast and soybeans to produce key milk proteins, aiming to replace dairy cows and reduce environmental impact. However, competing with subsidized dairy industries and their efficient use of cow byproducts remains a challenge for these biotech ventures, MIT Technology Review reports. The story adds: Everyone agrees that cow's milk will be difficult to displace. It holds a special place in the human psyche, and we owe civilization itself, in part, to domesticated animals. In fact, they've left their mark in our genes, with many of us carrying DNA mutations that make cow's milk easier to digest. But that's why it might be time for the next technological step, says Alpine's CEO Magi Richani. "We raise 60 billion animals for food every year, and that is insane. We took it too far, and we need options," she says. "We need options that are better for the environment, that overcome the use of antibiotics, and that overcome the disease risk." It's not clear yet whether the bird flu outbreak on dairy farms is a big danger to humans. But making milk without cows would definitely cut the risk that an animal virus will cause a new pandemic. As Richani says: "Soybeans don't transmit diseases to humans."

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