Background
Solein is a microbial protein produced using hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria e.g. Cupriavidus necator
& Aquificae phylum. The microbial protein Solein has a high protein content of 65-70 % protein,
5-8 % fat (primarily unsaturated fats), 10-15 % dietary fibres and 3-5 % mineral nutrients. The
macronutrient composition of the cells is very similar to that of dried soy or algae. Solein provides
iron, fibre and B vitamins.
Protein 65-70 %
Fat 5-8 %
Dietary fibres 10-15 %
Mineral nutrients 3-5 %
Process:
As the main substrates for H2-based autotrophy are gases, the technology is generally described
as gas fermentation. Broadly speaking the two types of autotrophic gas fermentation are
anaerobic and aerobic gas fermentation. Anaerobic metabolism, fed on H2 and CO2, is only
feasible if 70–80% of the carbon ends up in reduced products such as acetate and roughly 20%
as SCP.
Fermentation:
Bacteria are aerobic chemolithoautotrophic oxyhydrogen bacteria,
• Carbon dioxide as a carbon source
• Hydrogen as an energy source,
• Oxygen & Ammonia as a nitrogen source.
• Minerals such as sulfur, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium, are added to the culture
medium.
During cultivation, an oxyhydrogen reaction occurs in which hydrogen (as an electron donor) is
oxidized and oxygen (as an electron acceptor) is reduced to water. The energy released in this
reaction is used to synthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is subsequently used to fix
carbon dioxide in the Calvin cycle. Several reduction steps produce glucose, which is
subsequently used to build biomass in the bacterial cell . The synthesized biomass is separated
from the culture fluid and, after a drying process, constitutes a protein powder like Solein.
Application:
1. Meat Alternate
2. Dairy Alternate
3. Egg replacement
4. Protein Boost
5. Drink & Soup
Regulatory
1. Solar Foods’ Solein received its first novel food regulatory approval in September 2022
from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). This approves the import, manufacture and
sale of food products containing Solein in Singapore.
2. Solar Foods has filed for novel food dossier for Solein in other key markets such as the
EU and UK and plans to seek GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status assessment
for Solein in the United States.
Environmental Impact:
Solein is made using renewable energy and it mainly requires CO2 and electricity to produce,
making it a sustainable and environmentally-friendly protein source.
Market Launch
Factory is located in Vantaa, Finland, 10 minutes from the Helsinki international airport and 30
minutes from the Helsinki city center. Factory will grow 160 tons of Solein annually. This lifts the
novel ingredient from limited-edition snacks to full-scale food products, making 5 to 8 million
Solein-powered meals possible each year – and proving Solar Foods’ ability to scale Solein’s
bioprocess to an industrial level. Protein is planned to begin commercial production and sales in
2024.
Reference:
1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2024.105132
2. https://www.solein.com/what-is-solein
3. https://solarfoods.com/solein/
4. https://ietresearch.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1049/enb.2020.0005
