Checkerspot advances sustainable alt-palm oil with microalgae to tackle deforestation

Biotech firm Checkerspot has developed the “world’s first” high-oleic palm oil alternative formulated entirely through the fermentation of microalga Prototheca moriformis. The “clean and scalable” oil closely matches the fatty acid profile of conventional high-oleic palm oil, with over 55% oleic acid and 32% palmitic acid, claims the company.

It hails the non-GMO ingredient as a sustainable solution to the deforestation concerns associated with traditional palm oil cultivation by “bypassing conventional agriculture” and producing oil directly at the molecular level. FAO data indicates that palm oil has contributed to an estimated 5% of tropical deforestation in tropical areas.

The innovation underscores the US-based company’s focus on developing “domestically produced, sustainable, high-performance alternatives to conventional oils,” says Scott Franklin, Checkerspot’s chief scientific officer and co-founder.

“By leveraging microalgae fermentation, we’ve created a scalable solution that addresses both environmental concerns and the supply chain vulnerabilities associated with producing tropical fats such as high-oleic palm oil.”

The move follows the company’s partnership with AAK last year to develop a structuring fat substitute and a human breast milk fat analog targeting infant nutrition.

Lab to industry transition

Checkerspot says its fermentation process has demonstrated scalability from laboratory to industrial levels, achieving oil titers up to 145 g per liter and oil content comprising approximately 70% of the dry cell weight. 

Palm oil contributes to 2.3% of global deforestation, says the European Commission.This positions the ingredient as a viable alternative for various applications, including food, nutrition, and personal care, where high oleic palm oil is widely regarded as a key ingredient.

The company has already scaled the production of several other alternative oils developed in its lab using the same underlying platform and technology, which it has detailed in the journal Fermentation.

Checkerspot’s microalgae technology is moving toward commercial viability with work already underway alongside partners in the alt-palm oil market, notes the company.

Navigating trade uncertainties

For Jim Kim of Builders VC and a company board member, the microalgae platform provides solutions for “skyrocketing commodities and uncertain supply chains,” amid ongoing trade uncertainty.

“This technology answers a critical market demand for domestically produced and reliable alternatives to unreliable existing global supply chains. These systems are ailing and with proven technology to address the gap, we’re confident that Checkerspot’s products will play a significant role in improving global nutrition.”

Franklin previously told Food Ingredients First that fermentation and the ability to produce multiple types of oils on demand “in a matter of days” allow manufacturers to produce oils independent of geography and climatic disruptions.

“For example, with this oil production platform, it is possible to make a tropical type of oil in the US in winter or an ultra-high-oleic oil in the middle of summer in a tropical region using a fermentation process that is repeatable, predictable, scalable and fully traceable.”