There is an increasing demand for safe, high-quality food that is shelf stable, natural, and relies less on imported ingredients

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded $181,129 to Exopolymer, Inc. on September 15, 2025, under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212) to develop improved biopolymer-based food ingredients.

The recipient will evaluate biopolymer performance across different food matrices by testing heat tolerance profiles, ability to stabilize pasteurized foods such as raw milk products, emulsion stabilization capacity, and moisture-binding properties to reduce water separation. The work aims to commercialize biopolymers that enhance heat stability and freshness in packaged foods while reducing water loss and product waste. The innovations will use U.S. agricultural feedstock and renewable ethanol as a processing agent, supporting domestic production infrastructure and potentially enabling conversion of existing facilities to higher-value products.

Work is performed in Mountain View, California, with a period of performance from September 15, 2025, through May 14, 2027. The SBIR Phase I award supports proof of technical feasibility and market validation as a prerequisite to potential Phase II funding.

We are developing new ingredients to meet this demand which will provide enhanced heat stability and increased freshness for packaged foods, and will reduce water loss (which is perceived as a defect, leading to waste as products expire on store shelves or are thrown out by consumers).in this project we will evaluate the performance of biopolymers in different food matrices by testing their heat tolerance profiles, their ability to stabilize prepared foods that undergo pasteurization (e.g., raw milk products), and their ability to stabilize emulsions. We will also evaluate biopolymer moisture binding properties and test candidates for the ability to reduce water separation in food matrices. Our ultimate goal is to commercialize improved biopolymers. Our innovations will benefit existing U.S. Agriculture production and infrastructure. Our process uses U.S. Agricultural feedstock for manufacturing, and renewable ethanol as a processing agent so our work may enable the conversion of existing domestic facilities for higher value products. We aim to develop food ingredients that increase food stability, reduce waste, protect the US market from global supply chain disruption, and lower consumer and retailer costs.