HAIFA, ISRAEL – Animal-free dairy protein developer Imagindairy announced it obtained self-affirmed generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status for its protein, and opened a new headquarters for its operation.

The company shared that its ingredient received “significant internal and external review and safety testing,” and Imagindairy notified the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the status, per FDA requirements.

Coinciding with the ingredient being safe to use in food and beverage products, a key step in the Israel-based company’s commercialization process, Imagindairy opened a custom-designed space near Haifa, Israel, with state-of-the-art laboratories for research and development, a test kitchen and a fully operational pilot line among its features. The company said its new headquarters also has office spaces and shared workrooms.

The food tech startup produces sustainable, animal-free dairy proteins that the company said possess the same flavor, functionality, mouthfeel and nutritional properties as natural dairy proteins. Imagindairy shared that it implements precision fermentation and a proprietary artificial intelligence platform that make it possible to achieve mass-scale production at costs in line with traditional dairy. The company called mass-market adoption of the ingredient a feasible reality.

In 2022, Imagindairy achieved $28 million total in investment capital. Funds from an extended seed round were for accelerating the company’s research and development efforts to launch dairy products.

The company aims to partner with food brands and manufacturers to create animal-free versions of dairy products such as milk, cream cheese and yogurt.