Calyxt advances soybean-based palm oil alternative

In Minnesota, synthetic biology firm Calyxt, Inc., has completed the first phase of a research collaboration aimed at developing a soybean capable of producing an oil capable of replacing palm oil in commercial applications.

The collaboration with an unnamed, leading global food ingredient manufacturer based in Asia leverages Calyxt’s proprietary PlantSpring™ platform for engineering plant metabolism to produce high value chemistries.

Calyxt aims to complete the collaboration and receive a final milestone payment in the first quarter of 2024. It notes the collaboration “comes at a critical time in the international dialogue regarding the sustainability and environmental impact of traditional palm oil sourcing and production.”