Biotech company Prozymi Biolabs delves into creating gluten-free alternatives that allow bakers to enjoy the taste of regular products
Prozymi Biolabs Developing Enzymes to Create "Gluten-Safe" Products
Prozymi Biolabs, a UK-based startup, is pioneering an enzymatic approach to target and degrade gliadins, the gluten proteins that trigger immune responses in people with celiac disease.
The company's enzymes are designed to specifically target the parts of the gluten complex that trigger the immune system, while retaining the beneficial properties of gluten. This could pave the way for the creation of "gluten-safe" products, where the gluten has been "neutralized."
Prozymi has already secured several non-dilutive funding sources, including grants from Innovate UK, Scottish Enterprise, the BBSRC, and a SAFE from Big Idea Ventures. The company plans to patent the enzyme for general use and for potential product formulations if they're novel.
Dr. Ioannis Stasinopoulos and Dr. Andreas Andreou founded Prozymi Biolabs. They began by collecting varieties of wheat and barley to find microorganisms that can potentially degrade gluten. After sifting through 100-200 candidates, they have now narrowed it down to a few promising ones.
Preliminary tests show that Prozymi's enzymes can cut gliadins in a way that the immune system won't recognize them. However, ELISA R5 testing on bread made with these enzymes has shown that it is not quite effective enough yet to say it's safe for celiacs.
The big question for Prozymi is whether it can degrade gluten and retain the texture of the bread. Early results suggest that it can retain the texture in combination with other commercial enzymes that bread producers are using.
The enzymes discovered by Prozymi are natural enzymes, mainly bacteria and some fungi, but specific names are not disclosed. Prozymi may use a combination of enzymes for its products, and is working on optimizing the expression system for large-scale production of the enzymes.
Several major UK baking companies have visited Prozymi's labs to learn more about their enzymes, recognizing the potential for Prozymi’s technology to enhance gluten-free breads and move toward truly "gluten-safe" products that could offer the texture and taste close to regular bread without triggering celiac immune responses.
DSM-Firmenich has already commercialized enzymes that interfere with gliadins for use in beer and dietary supplements. However, Prozymi's approach could offer a more targeted solution, and further improvements and validation are still needed to reach full safety and commercial readiness.
[1] Source: Prozymi Biolabs press release, [date]
- The science and medical-conditions field witnessed a significant advancement with Prozymi Biolabs, an industry startup in the UK, developing enzymes that could make products gluten-safe for people with celiac disease.
- This innovative enzymatic approach targets and degrades gliadins, the gluten proteins that cause immune responses, while retaining the beneficial properties of gluten in health-and-wellness development.
- The company's enzymes have secured funding from various sources, including finance-based grants, and they aim to patent the enzyme for both general use and product formulations in potential novel creations.
- Founded by Dr. Ioannis Stasinopoulos and Dr. Andreas Andreou, Prozymi Biolabs focused on finding microorganisms in wheat and barley to degrade gluten as part of their entrepreneurship endeavors.
- Though early tests show promise, enhanced lifestyle solutions for celiacs may not be quite safe enough as preliminary tests indicate that ELISA R5 testing on bread made with these enzymes is not yet effective enough.
- The business challenge for Prozymi Biolabs lies in retaining the texture of the bread while degrading gluten, which initial findings suggest can be accomplished with a combination of their enzymes and commercial enzymes used by bread producers.
- As technology advances, Prozymi Biolabs acts as a pioneer in healthy-cooking methods by discovering natural enzymes derived from bacteria and fungi, which they may combine for optimal results in large-scale production.
- Education-and-self-development opportunities are not limited to academia; Prozymi Biolabs serves as a prime example of career-development potential, particularly within the science, finance, and business industries, while revolutionizing personal-finance considerations in the food-and-drink industry.
