CHICAGO — Carbon recycling company LanzaTech Global, Inc. announced its plans to expand its biorefining platform capabilities to include operations that produce LanzaTech Nutritional Protein (LNP). LNP is a microbial protein that is a nutrient-rich alternative to plant and animal-based proteins for application in human food and pet food.
The company shared that by using a new microbe in its proprietary gas fermentation process, its biorefining platform can produce a cost-competitive protein solution that supports a resilient food supply chain. Additionally, the production of LNP uses a fraction of the land and water resources that traditional protein sources require, according to LanzaTech.
With the development of LNP production facilities, LanzaTech will gain access to the large and growing alternative protein markets, diversifying its customer base, and expanding its sources of revenue.
“Building on the expertise of our commercially operating core gas fermentation process, LNP represents a natural expansion of our business,” said Jennifer Holmgren, Ph.D., chief executive officer of LanzaTech. “By coupling a new microbial production strain with our existing bioreactor technology, and our years of operating experience, we have developed a path to mass produce protein from CO2.
“For two years, we’ve operated a pilot facility to prepare for commercialization, and in the process, we’ve partnered with leading brands and food testing organizations for rigorous analysis and prototyping of nutrition applications,” she added. “We have now progressed into the engineering design phase for a half- to 1.5-ton per day facility, expected to be operational in 2026, and have developed a roadmap to commercial-scale production in 2028.”
Source: LanzaTechThe company is extending the power of its gas fermentation platform to produce large quantities of protein without straining land and water resources or impacting biodiversity. According to the company, LNP has a complete amino acid profile and no allergenicity.
LanzaTech is evaluating potential sites, in collaboration with several partners, for the first pre-commercial facilities, planned to be operational in 2026. These facilities are expected to produce between a half to 1.5 tons of LNP per day.
The company is also in the process of completing trials and testing in animal feed and pet food, and is underway with completing the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) certification process for LNP’s use in human nutrition formulations.
Within the human food space, LanzaTech has also collaborated with the US Navy Research Lab on a joint research project, which is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Office of Naval Research, and the US Naval Research Laboratory. The project will evaluate the viability of developing nutritional proteins for human consumption on military platforms.
“We are excited to collaborate with LanzaTech on this groundbreaking extension of their carbon recycling platform,” said Matthew Yates, Ph.D., research biologist at the US Naval Research Laboratory. “Together we are exploring the biomanufacturing potential of a nutritional protein product made from CO2 extracted from seawater. Integrating LanzaTech’s state of the art gas fermentation technology with the US Naval Research Laboratory’s Seawater Carbon Capture Process presents a valuable opportunity to develop a unique capability to meet the nutritional needs of soldiers and sailors across the Joint Forces while simultaneously enhancing the resilience of military operations in an evolving geopolitical landscape.”
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