Moolec Science SA, a UK-based molecular farming startup, has received the US Department of Agriculture ( USDA)'s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) approval for its genetically engineered (GE) pea, marking Moolec's third regulatory clearance from the USDA-APHIS in 18 months, following approvals for its GE safflower and soybean.

Moolec's GE pea produces high yields of bovine myoglobin, a protein that boosts iron content, potentially offering a nutritious, iron-rich alternative to traditional meat products in the food ingredient market. This approval allows expanded field trials, seed scaling, and potential commercialization of Moolec's GE pea.

Analyst QuickTake: Over the last couple of years, Moolec has made several strides toward advancing its molecular farming innovations. In April 2023 , the company acquired ValoraSoy, a company focused on producing and commercializing functional soy proteins, for USD 6 million. Furthermore, in July 2023 , it developed Piggy Sooy, a molecular farming platform that claims to deliver 4x more pork protein expression from soy seeds than previously estimated.