London-based Better Dairy has announced a self-affirmed generally recognized as safe (GRAS) determination for its precision-fermented lactopontin ingredient, paving the way for US nutrition and supplement launches.
Lactopontin, also known as milk osteopontin, is a protein found naturally in human and bovine milk. Better Dairy produces its ingredient through precision fermentation and says it is working with customers to launch products in the coming months.
Osteopontin’s regulatory pathway
The determination follows an independent expert panel’s review of the ingredient’s safety under its intended conditions of use.
Self-affirmed GRAS does not constitute FDA approval, and companies currently are not required to notify the agency when they self determine an ingredient is GRAS - although that could change pending an agency review of the process. However, many companies opt to do so because receiving a ‘no questions’ letter from FDA about an ingredient’s safety can reassure CPG companies.
Better Dairy is also developing its lactopontin ingredient for use in infant formula. While osteopontin is naturally occurring in bovine milk, its concentration is substantially lower than in human breast milk.
Use in infant formula follows a separate regulatory pathway from the adult nutrition and supplement uses targeted by its new self-affirmed GRAS determination, which does not cover infant formula.
Potential applications for lactopontin
Beyond its nutritional value, lactopontin plays a role in biological signaling associated with tissue growth, repair and renewal, according to Better Dairy.
“Rather than simply providing another source of nutrition, lactopontin works alongside the body’s own biological processes, creating a wide range of new opportunities for the development of products targeting healthy aging, gut health, immunity building, joint health, skin health and sports recovery,” the company said.
It is complementary with other ingredients, such as collagen, lactoferrin and probiotics, according to the company, which noted that “lactopontin provides the additional opportunity to stack ingredients, capitalize on synergies and create differentiated products leveraging ingredients consumers already know and trust.”
From cheese proteins to specialized nutrition
Better Dairy’s move toward lactopontin builds on its earlier work developing fermentation-derived casein for animal-free cheese. The company demonstrated cheddar samples aged for one, three and nine months at Future Food-Tech San Francisco in March 2025.
But achieving a competitive price for casein will take longer, prompting it to pursue higher-value proteins that could reach commercial viability sooner. Better Dairy said it remained committed to bringing casein to market.
“Casein will be a longer journey, and it makes sense to monetize higher value targets first,” Trishala Bopanna, the company’s director of strategy and partnerships, said in June 2025. “It’s an evolution to get us to work better commercially.”
Better Dairy commercialization plans
The company, which is launching lactopontin at SupplySide Global Las Vegas at the end of October, said it will continue to pursue regulatory approval in Europe and Asia.
Better Dairy founder and CEO Jevan Nagarajah said lactopontin presents an opportunity for the body to make better use of its own biology.
“We’re bringing a naturally occurring signaling protein into nutrition and supplements, with the potential to create an entirely new generation of functional products,” he said. “Achieving self-affirmed GRAS is a key step for us. It means we’re moving beyond our foundations, developing world-leading science and opening the door to real commercial applications.”