CASE STUDY
Establishing regulatory frameworks for next-generation dairy alternatives
Client Background
New-age dairy alternative company
The client is a European company working on dairy products made using precision fermentation.
Challenge/Opportunity
Navigating regulatory uncertainty
The client wanted to know if the existing regulations for conventional dairy products could be applicable to their own product. This included processing techniques like pasteurization, heat treatment, and even microbiological parameters.
Dairy is a complex product, and the standards and methods currently in place are the result of a long body of research and evidence. But with new products like dairy made via precision fermentation, there are no set guidelines or any standardized ways of making sure the food is safe.
So, the client needed a completely different set of rules and processes to be followed for safety and regulatory mechanisms that would be acceptable within European standards.
Solution
Building from the ground up
New-age companies that use new technologies like precision fermentation are just finding their footing from a processing perspective. They need a completely different set of rules and processes that need to be followed for safety and regulatory mechanisms. The challenge here is that while this is a good approach, it isn’t always guaranteed to work because dairy made from precision fermentation does not have the same raw materials and components of conventional dairy.
Given that the client’s product is so new and standards don’t still don’t exist, Mathilde needed to create standards from scratch for the client to follow. This involved looking at their entire supply chain, the ingredients, the processing techniques and methods used to pinpoint any specific risks during every step of the manufacturing process.
Based on these steps, Mathilde created a completely new list of safety parameters and indicators to follow and to present to authorities when needed. Each individual raw material or ingredient needed to be checked to see if it would pose a safety risk. She also set up a list of microbiological parameters for the client to meet as well as food safety measures in the factory.
In addition to this safety checklist, Mathilde also helped the client figure out what claims and nomenclature would work best for communicating with consumers. She also assessed the legality of marketing claims the client might be able to use when commercializing the product.
Result
Impact
Mathilde analyzed the client’s methodology and set up the new measures in less than four months. With the setting up of these safety measures, the dairy alternative product is set to be launched this year, featuring the claim of “vegan”.
Mathilde is an outstanding professional who combines in-depth industry and regulatory knowledge with a hands-on and flexible collaborative approach. She is a fantastic supporter and was able to extensively support our organization across various departments, from R&D to product development, to packaging and more. I would strongly and highly recommend her, especially when it comes to launching a new product into the market. Her expertise and knowhow definitely makes your life a lot easier.
Reach out if you would like regulatory and compliance support for your next-generation products.