Dairy proteins

As the global population ages, the need for targeted nutrition solutions is rising fast. Older adults face unique health challenges — from muscle loss and reduced appetite to digestive sensitivity — that make protein intake both more important and more complicated.

Enter BLG Essential+™: a next-generation protein ingredient that supports healthy aging through superior nutrition, digestibility, and versatility.

The Growing Demand for High-Quality Protein for Seniors

The world’s population aged 60 and older is projected to double by 2050, reaching over 2 billion. As people age, they naturally lose muscle mass in a condition called sarcopenia — a major contributor to frailty, loss of independence, and reduced quality of life. To combat this, protein becomes essential.

But it’s not just about more protein — it’s about better protein. According to the International Food Information Council, 71% of Americans want to increase their protein intake, and seniors are a big part of that shift. High-quality, easily digestible protein with a complete amino acid profile is key.

Why Muscle Loss Matters More with Age

Muscle loss accelerates as we age, beginning as early as age 30. By age 70, up to 25–50% of muscle mass may be lost without adequate intervention. This doesn’t just affect mobility — it impacts metabolism, immune function, and even the risk of chronic disease.

To maintain muscle, the body needs sufficient amounts of leucine, an amino acid that stimulates muscle protein synthesis. BLG Essential+™ delivers 45% more leucine than whey protein — making it an especially powerful tool for aging populations.

BLG Essential+™ enables new high-protein formulations thanks to its exciting functional properties – neutral taste, stable across wide pH and temperature ranges, and fully soluble in water.

Not All Proteins Are Created Equal

While plant proteins are gaining attention, most fall short in key areas for senior nutrition:

• Incomplete amino acid profiles: inadequate for muscle synthesis
• Poor taste and texture: especially off-putting for seniors with reduced appetite
• Low bioavailability: not efficiently absorbed
• Difficult to formulate: gritty textures and bitter flavors

BLG Essential+™ solves these problems. It combines a superior nutritional profile with excellent functional properties, enabling food and beverage developers to create smooth, appealing products without compromise.

BLG Essential+™ – Tailored for Senior Nutrition

• 45% more leucine than whey: supports muscle maintenance and metabolic health
• Fast absorption & high digestibility: ideal for sensitive digestive systems
• Lactose-free & cholesterol-free: suitable for health-conscious and aging consumers
• Neutral taste & smooth texture: enables enjoyable, easy-to-consume products
• Compatible with diverse formats: from clear drinks to yogurts, pancakes, soups, baked goods and more

A New Era for Senior-Focused Food Innovation

Today’s older consumers are more active, informed, and selective. They want food that supports wellness and longevity — not just empty calories. This demand is driving rapid innovation in elderly-focused functional foods and beverages.

Key growth areas include:

• High-protein drinks for hydration and mobility
• Nutritional baked goods, yogurts, and soups
• Convenient on-the-go snacks with added health benefits
• Medical nutrition and meal replacements for recovery and maintenance

BLG Essential+™ makes these innovations possible — offering unmatched flexibility and performance.

Sustainability Matters — Especially for Future Generations

Beyond performance, BLG Essential+™ is future-proof:

• Animal-free production: lactose-free, cholesterol-free, antibiotics-free, hormone-free
• 90% less land use & 95% less water compared to traditional farming production
• Stable, scalable supply: avoids volatility in whey pricing and availability

Aging populations will place even more strain on global food systems. Sustainable solutions like BLG are critical to meet demand while protecting the planet.

Protein Shortages Are Already Here

High-quality protein like whey is increasingly scarce — and expensive. Global demand is rising while dairy production faces environmental and economic constraints. BLG Essential+™ provides a stable, cost-effective alternative that meets the highest nutritional standards.

With precision fermentation, we can produce BLG at scale — consistently, sustainably, and independently of fluctuating dairy markets.

How the rise of weight-loss medications is reshaping the food industry – and how brands can lead with next-generation protein innovation.

A Shift in Eating Habits – and in Food Innovation

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are changing the way people eat. As these treatments help reduce appetite, consumers are naturally choosing more nutrient-dense, high-protein options – and turning away from sugary snacks and ultra-processed foods.

This shift is creating a new frontier in food innovation. For brands, the opportunity is clear: design smarter, functional foods that meet evolving needs around weight management, satiety, and muscle health.

The Challenge: Muscle Loss on GLP-1 Medications 

GLP-1 therapies are effective for weight loss – but a significant portion of that loss comes from lean body mass. Studies report that 20–40% of total weight loss may be lean mass, depending on population, drug type, and measurement methods (Diabetes Obes Metab, 2024; Diabetes Obes Metab, 2024). The most comprehensive evidence to date – a 2025 network meta-analysis of 22 RCTs involving 2,258 participants – found that approximately 25% of weight lost was from lean mass (Metabolism, 2025). 

Loss of muscle isn’t just about strength – it reduces metabolic rate, impairs physical performance, and may increase the risk of weight regain. 

The solution? High-quality, leucine-rich protein to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and help preserve lean mass during weight loss. 

Beta-Lactoglobulin – Powered by Precision Fermentation 

At 21st.BIO, we enable companies to produce BLG Essential+™, a high-purity beta-lactoglobulin made using precision fermentation. This approach is animal-free, sustainable, and scalable – delivering consistent protein quality while dramatically reducing the environmental footprint compared to traditional dairy. 

We license this technology to food and ingredient manufacturers, empowering them to produce a next-generation protein with unique nutritional benefits and broad application potential. 

The GLP-1 Boom Is Just Getting Started

GLP-1 medications are transforming the health and nutrition landscape. An estimated 8 to 10% of Americans are already using these drugs, and up to 35% say they’re interested (PwC study, 2024). The market is growing fast – projected to reach $150 billion globally by 2030. Even online search behavior reflects the shift: during this year’s Super Bowl, searches related to weight-loss drugs spiked 50%, with 21% focused on nutrition. It’s clear that this isn’t just a pharma trend – it’s a ripple effect reshaping how consumers eat, shop, and choose their food.

Major brands are moving fast. From protein-enriched pizzas and baked goods to snack bars, yoghurts, cereals, and even waters, protein is showing up everywhere. It’s clear: food companies are racing to meet the growing demand for functional, protein-rich options that support muscle, metabolism, and satiety – especially as GLP-1 users and health-conscious consumers reshape shopping habits.

Why BLG is the Ideal Protein for GLP-1 Nutrition

Beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), especially when produced through precision fermentation, offers a superior amino acid profile for this use case – including 45% more leucine than whey. That makes it one of the most effective proteins for supporting muscle during calorie-restricted weight loss.

Key advantages:

• Leucine-rich for triggering muscle protein synthesis
• Fast-absorbing and highly bioavailable
• Neutral taste and excellent solubility – ideal for clear drinks, bars, dairy alternatives, and meal replacements

For food and nutrition brands, incorporating BLG into product lines means delivering real physiological support to GLP-1 users.

BLG Essential+™ enables new high-protein formulations thanks to its exciting functional properties – neutral taste, stable across wide pH and temperature ranges, and fully soluble in water.

What’s Next in GLP-1-Friendly Foods

GLP-1 users want more than shakes. They want convenient, protein-rich foods that fit into daily life. Forward-looking brands are already experimenting with:

• Clear protein drinks – from iced teas to sparkling waters
• On-the-go snacks – bars, crisps, fortified nuts
• Functional meals and replacements – designed to sustain muscle and curb hunger

This is more than a trend – it’s a transformation in how functional nutrition is formulated.

Protein is popping up in everything from pizzas to teas – but not all proteins can actually deliver in these diverse formats. Many plant-based proteins come with bitter off-notes, gritty textures, or solubility issues that limit their use. That’s where BLG Essential+™ changes the game. With its neutral taste, excellent solubility, and heat stability, it performs where others fall short – enabling everything from clear drinks and baked goods to creamy snacks and meal replacements. It’s not just about nutrition – BLG Essential+™ is making next-gen product innovation possible.

Sustainable, Scalable, Science-Backed

Unlike traditional dairy proteins, BLG made via precision fermentation offers:

• Up to 95% lower water and land use
• 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions
• Stable, scalable production – independent of dairy markets
• Lactose-free, cholesterol-free, antibiotics-free, hormone-free, and vegan-friendly

And because our strain engineering platform is built on decades of experience – partly licensed from Novonesis – it’s designed for cost-efficiency and commercial readiness.

The High-Quality Protein Shortage Is Already Here

Global demand for high-quality protein is rising faster than supply. Whey protein prices have hit record highs – and there’s no sign of relief. The price surge isn’t a temporary spike; it’s a symptom of a deeper issue: strong, sustained demand combined with tightening supply.

Whey, long regarded as the gold standard of dietary protein, today depends entirely on milk production. And milk production is under pressure. Labor shortages, environmental regulations, and cost inefficiencies are driving stagnation or even declines in dairy output across key regions.

Consumers Want More Protein – and They’re Actively Looking for It

Protein isn’t just trending – it’s become a daily priority. In the U.S., Google searches for “high protein foods” have climbed steadily for over two decades, and by 2013, the country had already become the world’s largest market for high-protein products. Since then, interest has only grown. According to the International Food Information Council, 71 % of U.S. consumers aimed to increase their protein intake in 2024, up from 67 % the year before and 59 % in 2022. Shoppers are reading labels, seeking out functional benefits, and looking for better ways to meet their evolving nutritional needs. For food brands, the signal is clear: high-protein innovation is no longer optional – it’s expected.

The Scope of the Problem

By 2030, global demand for dairy proteins is projected to exceed supply by tens of millions of tons. Even in the most optimistic scenarios, Europe may only increase production by 6.7 million tons – leaving a global market gap of 20.4 million tons of milk equivalents. In more realistic cases, Europe’s output could decline, pushing the supply gap to over 31 million tons (Rabobank).

Several structural challenges make it unlikely that traditional dairy can fill this gap. The number of dairy farmers is steadily declining, and productivity gains per cow are leveling off. At the same time, the sector faces increasing pressure from climate change – including water scarcity, feed instability, and heat stress – as well as from stricter emissions targets and land-use constraints. These pressures limit the industry’s ability to scale and expose it to supply volatility. 

This shortfall threatens not just product availability but also pricing stability. Without new, scalable protein sources, high-quality nutrition could become inaccessible to many – and limit innovation across food, health, and wellness sectors.

Precision Fermentation: A Breakthrough in Resilient Supply

Precision fermentation offers a radically different model for protein production – one that decouples supply from the limitations of animal agriculture. Using microorganisms programmed to produce specific proteins, this technology enables:

• Consistent, year-round production
• 90% less land and 95% less water use
• 97% fewer greenhouse gas emissions
• Independence from climate and livestock volatility
• New opportunities for farmers and cooperatives to turn sugar into high-value protein 

Already used to make insulin, enzymes, and vitamins, precision fermentation is now being scaled to secure the future of food.

Enter BLG Essential+™ – Our Flagship Protein

At 21st.BIO, we have developed one of the most advanced precision fermentation platforms for food protein production. Our first market-ready ingredient: BLG Essential+™ – a precision-fermented beta-lactoglobulin (BLG).

BLG makes up 50–60% of whey protein and is packed with nutritional and functional benefits:

• Complete amino acid profile
• High leucine content for muscle protein synthesis
• Excellent solubility, neutral taste, and emulsification properties

Our proprietary variant, BLG Essential+™, contains 45% more leucine than traditional whey, making it ideal for high-protein drinks, snacks, meal replacements, and medical or senior nutrition.

Our BLG Program is Built for Scale

We license the production technology for BLG Essential+™ to food and ingredient companies worldwide.

Through our BLG development program, partners gain access to:

• World-leading production strains
• Proven fermentation and purification processes
• self-affirmed GRAS ingredient for immediate use in the U.S.
• Ongoing support to improve strain performance and scalability

Several partners have already joined the program and are preparing to bring their own BLG production online – creating new, local supply chains independent of dairy.

Expanding Beyond BLG – Caseins, Alpha-Lactalbumin, and More

Following BLG, we are advancing precision-fermented casein and alpha-lactalbumin programs to further expand our dairy protein portfolio. These proteins are essential for structure, slow digestion, and nutritional balance in both dairy and dairy-alternative applications, and specialized nutritional products such as infant or elderly nutrition. 

Caseins in particular present a known challenge in precision fermentation due to their need for post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation to function correctly. Companies face difficulties achieving commercially viable titers in microbial hosts. At 21st.BIO, our proprietary strains – developed through decades of expertise inherited from the Novo Group – overcome these barriers. Our platform is already achieving high titers and demonstrating functional performance in early-stage production.

Together, these advances support the development of complete milk alternatives and high-performance formulations across a broad spectrum of food and nutrition categories.