Äio, a food-tech start-up based in Estonia, has successfully scaled production of its fermentation-made fats and oils to an industrial-level batch of 10,000 litres.

The company has progressed from lab-scale to pilot-scale production over the past year, and has now hit the milestone 10,000-litre mark with the support of ADM and Temasek’s sustainable food joint venture, ScaleUp Bio.

Äio described the achievement as ‘pivotal,’ proving that its fermentation-based fat solutions can be produced at scale and bringing the start-up closer to commercialisation.

The start-up’s biotechnology solution uses yeast to convert food and agricultural sidestreams into value-added ingredients that are rich in lipids, proteins, antioxidants and pigments, harnessing circular economy principles.

Scaling up to 10,000 litres has prepared Äio for submission of its EFSA novel food permit dossier, accelerating efficiency and equipping the start-up for real-world application. The company has achieved a 48% improvement in fermentation titer yield and a 60% improvement in downstream recovery.

Petri-Jaan Lahtvee, co-founder and COO of Äio, said: “Scaling up is one of the toughest challenges for a deep-tech startup, but we have now proven that our technology works at an industrial scale. This 10,000-litre batch brings us closer than ever to commercialisation and regulatory approval – key steps in making sustainable fats and oils a reality.”