FDA issues no-objection letter for the first precision fermentation-derived animal protein for use in pet food

Hill’s Pet food and Bond Pet Foods (Bond), a biotechnology company reimagining animal proteins through precision fermentation, announced that Bond received FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine Letter of No Objection for its Lamb Protein Yeast ingredient. The product, developed in collaboration with Hill’s, completed a 6-month longitudinal feeding study in dogs, FDA’s review, and no objection to the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Notice.

"We are thrilled to achieve this important regulatory milestone with Hill's," said Rich Kelleman, Founder and CEO of Bond, in the organizational release.¹

"The results of our 6-month feeding study, together with the FDA's Letter of No Objection, demonstrate the safety and nutritional performance of our brewed proteins and bring us a significant step closer to delivering a reliable source of high-quality protein for pets."

According to the release, Lamb Protein Yeast is the first ingredient to come out of the collaboration between Hill’s and Bond to complete the FDA’s GRAS Notice review process successfully for healthy adult dogs.¹ The findings supported use at inclusion levels up to 15% of the finished food. This development is the result of a multi-year partnership utilizing precision fermentation, a technology established in the production of enzymes, vitamins, and cheese ingredients. The process yields an animal protein with a complete amino acid profile and a nutritional composition comparable to traditional lamb.

Bond and Hill’s have also completed a feeding study using Lamb Protein Yeast in cats, and currently are preparing to submit additional information to the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine in support of feline use.

"This achievement underscores our long-standing commitment to science-led innovation in pet nutrition," said Dave Baloga, Executive Vice President, Science and Technology at Hill's.¹ "Lamb Protein Yeast expands the range of science-backed nutritional options we can deliver, supporting our sustainability objectives while maintaining the rigorous nutritional standards for which Hill's is known."

In 2021, Hill’s and Bond announced their collaboration and shared their goal is to create an alternative approach that also meets the dietary needs of pets through science-based established processes instead of the traditional animal protein ingredients. Since then, the collaboration had successfully production on a commercial scale of Lamb Protein Yeast as well as delivering over 25 metric tons to Hill’s facilities for formulation, testing, and regulatory evaluation.¹

Bond’s precision fermentation platform utilizes yeast cultures to produce proteins with nutritional profiles similar to conventional animal sources. For pet food manufacturers, this process offers a scalable protein supply with a lower environmental footprint.

Reference

Hill's Pet Nutrition and Bond Pet Foods Receive FDA No-Objection Letter for First Animal Protein Produced via Precision Fermentation for Pet Food. News release. Hill’s Pet Nutrition. May 12, 2026. Accessed May 14, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hills-pet-nutrition-and-bond-pet-foods-receive-fda-no-objection-letter-for-first-animal-protein-produced-via-precision-fermentation-for-pet-food-302768950.html