Alternative protein and microbial food production with<i> Yarrowia</i><i> lipolytica:</i> precision, biomass and traditional fermentation strategies
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Lu, Mengyao
Hapeta, Piotr
Ledesma-Amaro, Rodrigo
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background
With the rapid growth of the global population, humanity is expected to face significant challenges by 2050, such as food crises, resource shortages, and climate change. The emergence of cellular agriculture not only offers promising solutions to these issues and enhances animal welfare but also provides a sustainable, healthy, and safe approach for the development of future food systems. Precision fermentation, which utilizes microorganisms as cellular factories to produce high-value functional products, plays a pivotal role in the field of cellular agriculture. Additionally, with the increasing demand for high-quality protein-containing food, identifying alternative food sources is essential. Production of alternative proteins via fermentation results in the smallest carbon footprint and generates more stable products, attracting significant interest from both academia and the food industry.
Scope and approach
This review discusses the production of alternative proteins in Yarrowia lipolytica via fermentation. It addresses the advantages of using Y. lipolytica as a protein production platform, improvements in production through fermentation strategies, examples of expressed proteins from literature and patents, and the current regulatory aspects and social considerations.
Key findings and conclusions
Y. lipolytica have a safe usage status, a capacity to utilize various feedstocks, and unique advantages in protein production. Through precision fermentation, specific proteins can be produced, and at scale production can be achieved with appropriate parameter optimization. Additionally, Y. lipolytica is expected to play a critical role in the field of food fermentation due to its rich nutritional profile and desirable organoleptic properties. It not only provides a valuable source of alternative proteins but also improves food flavours, enriches nutritional value, and facilitates the development of new functional foods, thus broadening the scope for future food innovation.
With the rapid growth of the global population, humanity is expected to face significant challenges by 2050, such as food crises, resource shortages, and climate change. The emergence of cellular agriculture not only offers promising solutions to these issues and enhances animal welfare but also provides a sustainable, healthy, and safe approach for the development of future food systems. Precision fermentation, which utilizes microorganisms as cellular factories to produce high-value functional products, plays a pivotal role in the field of cellular agriculture. Additionally, with the increasing demand for high-quality protein-containing food, identifying alternative food sources is essential. Production of alternative proteins via fermentation results in the smallest carbon footprint and generates more stable products, attracting significant interest from both academia and the food industry.
Scope and approach
This review discusses the production of alternative proteins in Yarrowia lipolytica via fermentation. It addresses the advantages of using Y. lipolytica as a protein production platform, improvements in production through fermentation strategies, examples of expressed proteins from literature and patents, and the current regulatory aspects and social considerations.
Key findings and conclusions
Y. lipolytica have a safe usage status, a capacity to utilize various feedstocks, and unique advantages in protein production. Through precision fermentation, specific proteins can be produced, and at scale production can be achieved with appropriate parameter optimization. Additionally, Y. lipolytica is expected to play a critical role in the field of food fermentation due to its rich nutritional profile and desirable organoleptic properties. It not only provides a valuable source of alternative proteins but also improves food flavours, enriches nutritional value, and facilitates the development of new functional foods, thus broadening the scope for future food innovation.
Date Issued
2025-12-01
Date Acceptance
2025-10-26
Citation
Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2025, 166
ISSN
0924-2244
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Trends in Food Science & Technology
Volume
166
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105407
Subjects
ACID
ALPHA-AMYLASE
Alternative protein
Biomass fermentation
Cellular agriculture
CLONING
EXPRESSION
Food Science & Technology
Future food
LACCASE
LACTIS
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Precision fermentation
Science & Technology
SECRETION
Sustainable protein
SYSTEMS
Yarrowia lipolytica
YEAST
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
105407
Date Publish Online
2025-11-04