AI-integrated firm Shiru develops plant-based proteins
Both ingredients are made from components that are Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), ensuring their readiness for the market.
USA – Shiru, an AI-driven ingredient discovery company, has begun the commercial production of two new plant-based ingredients: uPro™ and OleoPro™ following successful development and positive customer feedback.
uPro™ is a functional, structured protein derived from naturally sourced potato protein. Shiru states that uPro™ serves as a clean-label texturizer, emulsifier, and thickener for manufacturers, enabling high incorporation of oil and water.
OleoPro™ is a protein-enabled fat alternative formulated with unsaturated liquid oil and potato protein, making it solid at room temperature. Shiru claims that OleoPro™ offers over a 90% reduction in saturated fat compared to conventional solid fats.
Shiru’s AI-powered platform, Flourish™, facilitates the rapid discovery of natural ingredients, positioning the company to meet the evolving market demands for cleaner and more sustainable options.
The speed of Shiru’s ProteinDiscovery.ai platform allows the company to move from discovery to commercial production much faster, reducing the traditional ingredient development timeline from years to just months.
“uPro™ and OleoPro™ show how AI can quickly identify natural ingredients to tackle critical formulation challenges. The ability of our Flourish™ platform to analyze millions of proteins rapidly and accurately means food companies can implement clean-label, sustainable solutions right away,” said Dr. Jasmin Hume, founder and CEO of Shiru.
The launch of these ingredients comes amid increasing regulatory pressure in Washington D.C., where policymakers are advocating for the elimination of artificial ingredients and added sugars in food products.
Last year, Shiru raised US$16M in a Series B funding round, bringing its total funding to US$36M. This investment has enabled the company to scale its production capabilities to meet the rising demand for these ingredients, allowing for the production of thousands of metric tons annually.
Founded in 2019 as a business-to-business synthetic biology company, Shiru collaborates with multinational ingredient manufacturers to conduct in-depth research and development. The company has partnered directly with global food conglomerates, including CP Kelco and Puratos.
Since its inception, Shiru has leveraged artificial intelligence and machine learning to reduce the costs of molecule discovery and scale-up, rapidly identifying high-functionality, commercializable, and natural proteins for food from a vast database.
Shiru’s use of AI significantly accelerates the pace of synthetic biology, which merges engineering with biology to design and build new biological systems.
Traditional synthetic biology tools include genetic engineering, DNA synthesis, and cell engineering; combined with AI, synthetic biology could revolutionize medicine, agriculture, and energy within the next five years.
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