Peer-Reviewed Study Confirms FeedKind® Pet Protein Is Safe, Well Tolerated and Digestible; Opens the Door for Cultured Protein in Pet Food

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Calysta, the global leader in large-scale cultured protein, has published new peer-reviewed research confirming that FeedKind Pet protein is a safe, highly digestible ingredient for adult dogs with promising early signs of supporting gut health.

Published in the journal Animals, the eight-month target animal safety study was designed under FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine guidelines and supports Calysta’s planned GRAS notification for the US market. Thirty-two healthy adult beagles were fed diets containing up to 8% FeedKind Pet protein for six months, followed by a two-month period on a control diet.

The results reaffirm that FeedKind Pet protein can be safely included in dog food, maintaining healthy weight and body condition scores throughout, with no impact on feed intake and high digestibility. Protein and energy digestibility exceeded 80%, and fat digestibility exceeded 90%. The study also revealed positive shifts in the dogs’ fecal microbiome, increasing alpha diversity, an early sign of potential gut health benefits.

Key findings from the study:

• Long-term safety confirmed: All dogs maintained normal health, weight, and body condition.
• High digestibility: Protein and energy digestibility consistently above 80%, fat above 90%.
• No feed intake impact: Dogs readily accepted FeedKind Pet at all inclusion levels.
• Positive microbiome effect: Inclusion increased alpha diversity and promoted healthy bacteria, signs of gut health support.

Alan Shaw, CEO and Co-Founder of Calysta, said: "This new peer-reviewed research is the most robust and longest study we’ve ever done on FeedKind Pet protein, adding to years of evidence showing it is a safe, high-quality protein source for animals. A science and safety focus has been key to our journey from pilot production to the thousands of tonnes shipped this year. For the pet food industry, FeedKind Pet is a pioneering cultured protein ingredient that brings real innovation and new formulation choices, backed by proven performance and supply security."

Herman Sloot, VP of Global Sales at Calysta, added: "Customers in Europe are already using FeedKind Pet protein to strengthen supply chains and deliver high-quality nutrition for pets. This latest long-term study sets us up to meet the requirements for US GRAS status and gives our customers the confidence to plan for global availability; knowing they have a secure, well-tolerated protein source that works for pets and owners everywhere."

Produced by natural fermentation, FeedKind Pet requires no arable land and minimal water, providing pet food manufacturers with a stable, scalable supply of protein that does not compete with human food resources. Building on the proven success of FeedKind Aqua, Calysta is ready to supply FeedKind Pet at scale as global demand grows for reliable, high-quality protein ingredients.

About Calysta

Calysta, Inc., San Mateo, CA, is a large-scale protein producer and innovator working towards a future where the world’s growing population has guaranteed food security. Calysta makes protein without limits by fermenting low-cost carbon to create new feed and food products. Calysta’s sustainable protein ingredients add to the global food supply.

FeedKind^® protein is made using very little water and no agricultural land by fermenting carbon to create a safe, nutritious, and traceable protein. Cultured via natural fermentation, it is non-GMO, has a complete amino acid profile, is highly digestible, and helps promote a healthy gut.