Solar Foods has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office covering the production process of its protein ingredient Solein.

The patent gives the company exclusive rights to produce Solein for use in food products using its gas fermentation organism and process. The production method has already been patented in Europe, as well as in markets including Canada, Australia and China.

Solar Foods positions itself as a developer of sustainable protein, offering an alternative to conventional animal and plant-based sources. Solein is derived from a naturally occurring microorganism discovered in the Finnish wilderness, and is designed to combine nutritional attributes associated with both protein categories.

The company’s production method enables Solein to be manufactured independently of land use, weather and climate conditions. The process runs continuously, allowing for year-round output and consistent supply and quality.

Juha-Pekka Pitkänen, chief scientific officer at Solar Foods, said the US represents a key market for the company and one of the world’s largest consumers of protein. He added that the patented process allows the company to produce the microorganism through gas fermentation across major global markets.

Pitkänen added that Solein is intended for use across a range of food applications, describing it as a safe, nutritious and functional ingredient. He added that the technology offers a new way to produce protein while supporting more sustainable food systems.

The company said rising global food demand, alongside increasing pressure on land, water and climate resources, is driving interest in alternative production methods. Gas fermentation enables protein production without farms or animals by converting gases into food, and can be scaled for use in regions where conventional agriculture is not viable.

The process involves cultivating a single microbe using carbon dioxide and hydrogen as primary inputs. Solar Foods notes that microbes are already widely used in food production, such as in yoghurt, bread and beer, but can also serve directly as a source of nutrition.

Solar Foods began operations at its first commercial-scale facility in Finland, Factory 01, in 2024. It is now designing a second facility, Factory 02, which is expected to increase production capacity from 160 tonnes to 6,400 tonnes annually.

An investment decision is anticipated in 2026, with the first phase of the plant planned to be operational by the end of 2028. The company is also planning a wider network of Solein production facilities globally.

The company has started commercialising Solein in the US, initially targeting the health and performance nutrition segment. Products containing Solein have already been launched in Singapore, and the company expects regulatory approval in the EU and UK during 2026.