
“Animal-Free” Milk Ingredients in Synbio Beverages
October 24, 2024 | Source: The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog | by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
In December 2023, The VRG read an article on Bored Cow’s milk products titled “Not so precise fermentation: Lab finds 92 unknown compounds in synthetic biology milk.”
The article states that the substances are not naturally present in dairy milk, which is what Bored Cow intends to replicate in its “…milk alternative made with milk protein from fermentation instead of cows.” Since the whey is “identical” to the whey in cow’s milk, according to their website, Bored Cow states on its FAQ page (scroll down to the second question in their second FAQ section titled Ingredients & Allergens) that their milk “is NOT dairy-free.”
Here’s the Q&A in its entirety:
Q: Can I drink Bored Cow if I have a dairy allergy?
A: Unfortunately, if you’re allergic to dairy (aka milk protein) you will not be able to drink animal-free dairy milk. The fermentation-derived milk protein we use in Bored Cow is identical to the milk protein found in cow’s milk. While Bored Cow is animal-free…, it is NOT dairy free.
Incidentally, while we were on the Bored Cow’s website, we noticed this Q&A (fourth question under the FAQ heading General) written especially to vegans:
Q: Is Bored Cow really vegan-friendly?
A: Because Bored Cow is made completely without animals, we believe it is vegan-friendly, and so do many of our vegan partners and friends. That said, “dairy without cows” is a brand new idea that the world is still wrapping its head around.