21st.BIO Files EU Novel Food Bid for Precision-Fermented BLG
Copenhagen – November 12, 2026 -- Danish biotech company 21st.BIO has filed an EU Novel Food application for BLG Essential+, its precision-fermentation process for bovine beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), and is lobbying Brussels for a fast-track approval route for comparable proteins. The filing follows US regulatory approval for sales, obtained in October 2025.
EFSA approval would open EU sales of fermentation-derived whey protein
BLG is the predominant protein in milk whey. 21st.BIO describes BLG Essential+ as essentially a copy of that protein, made by fermentation rather than by dairy production. The company says the process can complement conventional dairy supply and help address supply constraints in the European whey protein market, once the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approves it.
The company names muscle maintenance and recovery among the target uses. Its examples are elderly and sick people and users of weight-loss medication.