Newly developed plant cell culture holds promise for future production of antioxidants and antimicrobials.
Israeli Startup Novella Revolutionizes High-Value Ingredient Production with Plant Cell Culture
Israeli foodtech startup Novella is making waves in the industry by developing high-value food and personal care ingredients using plant cell culture. This innovative approach offers several advantages over traditional methods, providing more cost-efficient, consistent, efficacious, and environmentally sustainable solutions.
Novella's focus lies primarily on antimicrobials and antioxidants, with a particular interest in core compound groups such as alkaloids, terpenes, and polyphenols. These compounds are delivered in soluble powder formats like sachets, capsules, and other powder-based applications.
The startup's commercial launch for these products is planned for early 2026, with the first product launch in the dietary supplement sector slated for late 2025, subject to regulatory approvals. Novella's entry into the dietary supplement sector marks a new approach to bioactive delivery and efficacy.
Novella's production process offers a consistent and scalable natural alternative to traditional preservatives, which often have notable limitations. This approach is particularly appealing in an era where consumers are increasingly seeking clean-label, natural solutions.
In many countries, plant cells are not considered novel, but in regions like the EU, all plant cell products fall under the Novel Food category. Novella's products are not produced in multi-use plastic bioreactors, unlike some players in plant cell culture, further setting the company apart.
Novella has attracted significant investment, with VC firms including Plug and Play and Zora Ventures, as well as private investors, backing the startup's vision. A strategic partnership with Metaphor Foods, the innovation arm of global ingredients and private label food giant Hela APAC, is worth $10 million over seven years based on meat industry projections alone.
Under this partnership, Novella is producing products for Metaphor Foods' Hela Natvance range of natural food-protection solutions. The collaboration highlights the potential for plant cell culture to revolutionize the food industry, offering sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to traditional preservatives and extraction methods.
With a focus on innovation, sustainability, and consumer demand, Novella is poised to make a significant impact in the high-value ingredient market, offering solutions that are not only more efficient and effective but also kinder to the environment.
Sources: 1. Plant cell culture for the production of high-value compounds 2. Plant Cell Culture: A Sustainable Technology for the Production of High-Value Compounds 3. Plant cell culture: a promising tool for the production of high-value compounds 4. Plant cell culture: a sustainable approach for the production of high-value compounds 5. Plant cell culture: A sustainable technology for the production of high-value compounds
Science and technology are essential components in Novella's revolutionary approach to high-value ingredient production using plant cell culture. This innovation in health-and-wellness and lifestyle sectors, specifically in food-and-drink and nutrition, offers sustainable, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly solutions. The startup's focus on antimicrobials and antioxidants aligns with consumer trends seeking clean-label, natural solutions, with potential applications in a variety of industries. Its strategic partnerships, such as the one with Metaphor Foods, demonstrate the transformative impact of plant cell culture technology on the future of high-value ingredient production.
