Taurine (TAU) is an essential nutrient for humans and animals; IT is needed for cardiovascular, skeletal muscle, vision, and nervous system function

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Nataur LLC $174,999 under the Small Business Innovation Research Program for a project concluding February 2023. The funding supports development of a sustainable, non-petroleum source of taurine through microbial fermentation. Taurine is an essential nutrient needed for cardiovascular, skeletal muscle, vision and nervous system function in humans and animals. Currently, the vast majority of taurine is manufactured in China using petrochemical processes involving carcinogens. The awardee aims to apply recombinant microbes to produce a cost-competitive source of taurine through fermentation of simple sugars and natural compounds. Successful completion of the project could result in a US-based taurine production industry with environmental and economic benefits, including use of the sustainable ingredient in alternative protein and other products.

TAU is naturally occurring in meat and other animal products, but IT is not found in plants, fungi, or most single-cell organisms. As we shift to more plant-based food and feed diets, TAU must be added as an ingredient or taken as a supplement to maintain healthy TAU levels. The vast majority of TAU is manufactured in china from petrochemical-based processes that use carcinogenic and hazardous compounds. Without an alternative, consumers will be dependent on the use of a petroleum-based ingredient, international trade agreements, supply chain disruptions, and the environment will be increasingly polluted by hazardous waste by-products and the negative effects of global transport. A real need exists for a non-petroleum-based source of TAU that could be used as an ingredient in products made with alternative proteins. The overall project goal is to apply a biology-based solution that uses clean and renewable resources to produce a cost-competitive source of TAU. Our approach is to use recombinant microbes, grown in a fermentor with a simple sugar and natural compounds, to serve as factories. This approach is similar to that which has been used to make hundreds of safe and environmentally friendly products used in everyday life. A cost-effective, sustainable production of TAU by microbial fermentation would make IT a superior choice for TAU as an ingredient in our customers' (and partners' customers') products.successful completion of the project and commercialization would result in a non-petroleum source of TAU that could have societal benefits on the environment and human health. Currently, TAU is not produced in the US. The vast majority of the TAU production currently occurs overseas using a petroleum-based chemical process. This scenario presents several global problems, specifically, environmental degradation and supply chain disruptions. Businesses that utilize TAU in their products understand these problems. Petroleum-based TAU is currently being purchased from overseas and used as an ingredient in many products including infant formula, pet food, animal feed, energy & sports drinks, and personal-care products. The successful completion of this project would pave the way for the establishment of a sustainable TAU production industry in the US. The growth of the industry will provide jobs in and around the communities of the production facilities and throughout the supply chain. An indirect economic benefit of a US-based TAU industry is the infusion of funds back into the US economy. An even greater benefit to the US economy could be realized if the entire TAU production business were relocated from asia to the US (expected annual sales >$1B).producers in the food-ingredient sector have expressed interest in using sustainable production processes to build and maintain customer loyalty. Consumers are becoming more health-conscious and making buying decisions based on products that contain healthy ingredients. TAU has been linked with overall human wellness and longevity. The inclusion of sustainable TAU in alternative protein products would increase the nutritional value of food, promote wellness, and as such reduce societal health-related costs. Marketing of the sustainable ingredient would increase consumer awareness of the health benefits of TAU, which we expect to translate into increased consumption of products with TAU as an ingredient and improved wellness.