Pureture Cleared to Sell Yeast-Derived Functional Protein in the US

New York startup Pureture has obtained self-affirmed GRAS status to use its yeast-derived protein in food and beverage products in the US.

US food tech startup Pureture can now sell its yeast-derived protein ingredient to manufacturers across the country.

The firm has self-determined its fermentation-derived protein as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), following review by an independent panel of experts.

The GRAS clearance establishes the safety basis required for the commercial use of its functional ingredient, which can be incorporated into a wide range of food and drink applications.

“We completed this proactively ahead of launch as part of preparing the platform for commercialisation,” Pureture founder and CEO Rudy Yoo told Green Queen.

With the self-affirmed GRAS pathway set to be eliminated, many companies are now choosing to notify the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to obtain a ‘no questions’ letter. “We continue to monitor the regulatory environment as it evolves,” he said.

Pureture aims to enable ‘new class of functional proteins’

Pureture was founded in 2022 as Armored Fresh Technologies, before being rebranded a year later to separate it from Yoo’s alt-dairy startup, Seoul-based Armored Fresh.

The company already produces a yeast-derived alternative to casein, the main protein found in milk. “This work builds on the broader research we previously did around casein,” said Yoo. “The difference is that the current ingredient represents a more advanced stage of that effort and is positioned more broadly as a functional protein platform rather than a single-protein replacement.”

The functional yeast protein is a new ingredient produced from a proprietary Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain using fermentation, which is followed by downstream processing designed to support functionality in finished food systems.

“The focus has been on developing a clean-label functional protein ingredient that provides emulsification and structural stability without relying on synthetic additives,” Yoo noted.

“Rather than targeting the replacement of a single ingredient, our goal is to enable a new class of functional proteins that can improve formulation performance across a wide range of food and beverage applications,” he added.

“The ingredient can be used across a wide range of food and beverage applications where emulsification, texture, and structural stability are important. This includes dairy alternatives, beverages, creamers, sauces, and other formulated food systems where clean-label functionality is valuable.”

The demand for clean-label ingredients has been heightened by concerns around ultra-processed food (UPF). Globally, 77% of consumers consider simple ingredients an ‘essential’ or ‘nice to have’ product feature, and 69% pay high or very high attention to the ingredients in the food and drinks they consume.

“Consumers are increasingly favouring transparent ingredients and minimal processing, making clean-label products essential for building trust,” Yoo said in an interview with Green Queen last year.

Yeast-derived ingredient plays into America’s appetite for protein

Yoo explained that Pureture operates as a functional protein technology company and ingredient platform focused on developing B2B ingredients for the food industry, while Armored Fresh works with the technology on product applications and commercialisation.

With the latter, he is looking to roll out a range of clean-label, sustainable offerings, including a protein shake line under the Piilk brand (which launches last week), high-protein and low-sugar products under JustAlt, and Barley Brew, a beanless coffee alternative made from grains.

The new yeast protein has entered the commercialisation stage now. “As an early application, the ingredient is being supplied for Armored Fresh’s Piilk product,” said Yoo. The protein shake already saw nearly 1,000 signups ahead of its launch, which he called “encouraging to see as an early signal of consumer interest”.

He added: “We are also working with food companies on early collaboration and joint development opportunities, and discussions with additional industry partners are ongoing. Initial production is underway and capacity will scale alongside partner demand.”

Pureture’s yeast protein fits into consumers’ evolving nutritional needs. The ingredient is non-GMO and free from the top nine allergens. And it has a PDCAAS score of 1.0 (the highest possible) – on par with dairy and egg proteins.

It’s entering the US market at a time when protein dominates the CPG conversation. Americans eat too much of the macronutrient to start with, consuming roughly 20% more than is recommended. Still, around a quarter of them think they’re not getting enough protein in their diet, according to a recent poll.

This year, 65% of Gen Zers and millennials are trying to consume more protein, as are 49% of Gen Xers. This rises to 73% among GLP-1 users, who witness a 25-40% decrease in muscle mass over eight to 16 months (several times more than non-medicated weight loss approaches and age-related muscle loss).

With the use of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro doubling between early 2024 and summer 2025, gearing up to reach $100M in sales by the end of the decade, the protein boom is only set to expand. The new national dietary guidelines have further intensified attention on protein, pushing its daily recommended intake from 0.8g to 1.2-1.6g per kg of body weight.

Pureture’s ingredient, labelled as “calcium-fortified yeast protein” in its self-GRAS assessment, can capitalise on this protein moment.

It isn’t the only startup cashing in on yeast-derived protein. In Europe, Revyve is making functional ingredients to replace eggs and UPFs, and Yeastup is turning beer waste into products like protein bars. And in India, SuperYou has launched a yeast protein powder that is now available in protein cold foams at all Starbucks stores across the country.