Ingredients in Focus is Food Dive’s bite-size column highlighting interesting developments in the ingredients sector.
Israeli biotech companies Miletus and Yotvata Dairy are joining forces to advance Miletus’s Imilac product as a replacement for antibiotics in milk dairy products.
Under the agreement, Yotvata will invest money to improve management systems of dairy farms. Financial details were not disclosed, but the agreement includes the prototype of a “cutting-edge dairy farm management system,” that will serve as a model for operate commercial dairy without antibiotics.
The investment comes after Miletus completed a clinical trial where the product “demonstrated its effectiveness” in increasing milk quantity and yield. The trial involved more than 500 cows at seven large Israeli dairy farms, the company said.
“Dairy companies around the world are starting to recognize that Mileutis’ innovative solutions are poised to propel the industry forward towards a more sustainable future, benefiting consumers, dairy farmers and animals alike,” David Javier Iscovich, CEO and co-founder of Mileutis, said in a statement. “The agreement with Yotvata is another milestone towards our vision of leading the dairy industry into a sustainable future, which is facing significant challenges.”
Antibiotics in milk and dairy products are used for disease prevention, growth promotion and treating mastitis. However, they have also been found to cause problems for consumers and milk processors, according to The National Institutes of Health.
These include cancer and hypersensitivity reactions, along with the development of antibiotic resistance.
Miletus said its products reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing milk yield per cow. Ninety percent of the largest dairy processing companies have set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050, according to the company. Miletus added that the extra milk produced from Imilac helps dairy farmers’ productivity and profitability.
