In California, lactoferrin produced by cell-based dairy company TurtleTree has received vegan certification from Vegan Action. TurtleTree is the first precision fermentation dairy company globally to obtain such a designation.
“While most precision fermentation products don’t involve animal products or byproducts, their bioidentical nature and the origins of the genetic codes required in production can make interpretations complex, particularly when adhering to vegan standards originally designed for plant-based products,” TurtleTree explained in a press statement. Some companies may opt for “quicker, cheaper animal studies,” and preclude their products from obtaining vegan certification, the company added.