Solar Foods receives patent in the United States for the production process of Solein®
PRESS RELEASE
Solar Foods has received a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the production process of the groundbreaking protein ingredient Solein®, utilizing the unique microorganism the company discovered in the Finnish wilderness. The patent gives Solar Foods an exclusive right to produce Solein to be used in food products with the patented gas fermentation organism and process. The production process utilizing the organism has already been patented in the company’s home market of Europe, as well as significant markets like Canada, Australia and China.
Solar Foods is a global leader in sustainable protein production, solving the global food production problem by offering a completely new alternative to existing animal and plant proteins. Solein originates in a microorganism the company has discovered in the rich biodiversity of Finland’s nature. With a unique nutritional profile combining the best of animal-based and plant-based proteins, the microorganism is especially well suitable for food production.
Thanks to its groundbreaking production method, Solein can be produced anywhere in the world independent of land use, weather, and climate conditions, which makes it one of the most sustainable proteins in the world. Solein can be produced throughout the year in a continuous process, offering the food industry a versatile protein ingredient with stable supply and quality without price volatility.
“The United States is our key market and one of the major protein-consuming markets in the world. After receiving the patent in the United States, producing the microbe we discovered in the Finnish wilderness almost a decade ago through gas fermentation is now patented in the most significant markets in the world. Our groundbreaking innovation is extremely well-suited to be used in food products: it is a safe, extremely nutritious, and functional protein ingredient across a variety of product categories. Solein offers a completely new harvest for humankind and a high-quality protein ingredient for the food industry – enabling sustainable food production”, says Juha-Pekka Pitkänen, Chief Scientific Officer of Solar Foods.
A scalable way to produce food with minimal environmental impact
Global food demand is rising constantly, while at the same time, land, water, and climate stability are increasingly constrained. Gas fermentation offers a viable solution for the pressing issue, enabling food production without land use, farms, and animals, by converting gases into protein. The process can be efficiently scaled, allowing food production also in places where it hasn’t been possible before.
The process, in its simplicity, takes a single microbe – one of the billion ones found in nature – and grows it through gas fermentation with carbon dioxide and hydrogen as the main raw materials.
“Microbes are nothing new in food production: for example, lactic acid bacteria are used in producing yoghurt and yeast in producing bread or beer. However, microbes are not just a way to produce food – they can be the food, providing a nutritious and versatile protein ingredient for the food industry. We are extremely proud to be the frontrunners in the world to bring this technology to the food industry”, Pitkänen says.
Solar Foods’ first commercial-scale production facility, Factory 01, started operations in 2024. The company is currently designing its next production facility, Factory 02, which will scale Solein’s production capacity from 160 tons to 6,400 tons annually. The investment decision for Factory 02 is expected to be made in 2026, and the first phase of the production facility is planned to be operational at the end of 2028. The company is also planning a network of Solein factories around the world.
Solar Foods has started the commercialization of Solein in the United States, focusing first on the Health & Performance nutrition market. Before United States, products made with Solein have already been available for consumers in Singapore. The company is expecting a regulatory approval for Solein in the EU and UK during 2026.
Media inquiries:
Maria Rämö, Communications Manager, maria.ramo@solarfoods.com, tel. +358 10 579 3283
Additional information:
Juha-Pekka Pitkänen, Chief Scientific Officer, jp.pitkanen@solarfoods.com
Images for editorial use: www.solarfoods.com/media
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What is Solein?
Solein is an all-purpose protein grown with the air we breathe: The unique bioprocess takes a single microbe, one of the billion different ones found in nature, and grows it by fermenting it using air and electricity. Solein is a nutritionally rich and versatile ingredient which can replace protein virtually in any food. Solein can also be used as a fortifier to complement the nutritional profile of various foods: it can be a source of iron, fibre and B vitamins, and it can also bring different techno-functionalities into food products. Learn more at www.solein.com.
About Solar Foods
Solar Foods produces Solein®, a protein created using carbon dioxide and electricity. This innovative production method is independent of weather and climate conditions, eliminating the need for traditional agriculture. Founded in Finland in 2017, Solar Foods is listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland. Learn more at solarfoods.com and investors.solarfoods.com
