- A peer-reviewed study found that synbio milk contains 93 uncharacterized compounds and 236 fungal proteins never tested for human consumption, contradicting claims that it is identical to cow's milk.
- Dr. John Fagan warned that the product contains novel compounds and a fungicide called Benthiavalicarb-isopropyl, with only 7 of 69 essential nutrients found in natural milk being present in small amounts.
- The FDA has not conducted safety testing on the product and the Non-GMO Project described the U.S. regulatory system as largely performative.
- Perfect Day was hit with a lawsuit alleging it misleads consumers and its consumer brands like Bored Cow and Brave Robot have been discontinued as the company downsized.
- Ken Roseboro called for mandatory safety testing and advised consumers to "buyer beware," while Italy has become the first country to ban synthetic food products.
The emerging synthetic biology food industry is facing serious questions after a peer-reviewed study published in Scientific Reports found that so-called animal-free milk products contain 93 uncharacterized compounds and 236 fungal proteins that have never been tested for human consumption.
The findings, released by the Health Research Institute (HRI), analyzed synbio milk produced using a genetically engineered whey protein called ProFerm, manufactured by the biotech firm Perfect Day. The product, sold under brands like Bored Cow and Brave Robot, has been marketed as a revolutionary animal-free milk alternative made with real milk protein from fermentation. But the laboratory results tell a different story.
"By three independent methods synbio milk was found to contain predominantly fungal protein, not the 90% to 99% ?-LG [recombinant bovine ?-lactoglobulin], claimed by the product developer," the study's authors wrote.
Dr. John Fagan, HRI's chief scientist and CEO, has been sounding the alarm. "They're completely novel to our food. They are things that we haven't consumed as human beings," he warned. Fagan previously stated about the 92 unknown molecules found in the product.
The nutritional comparison is equally troubling. Researchers found substantial levels of 69 nutrients in bovine milk, of which only seven were present in small amounts in synbio milk. Vitamin E, for instance, was virtually absent in the synthetic product but present at substantial levels in natural cow's milk – contradicting Perfect Day's claim that their protein is identical to what cows make.
A fungicide in your clean milk?
Perhaps most alarming, testing revealed the presence of Benthiavalicarb-isopropyl, a fungicide, in Bored Cow samples. Fagan believes the chemical was added during fermentation to inhibit fungal growth. "The things we see here are not really good for us," he warned.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not conducted any safety testing on this novel food product, despite the fact that Perfect Day received a no-questions letter from the FDA in 2020 classifying ProFerm as Generally Recognized As Safe.
The Non-GMO Project has been sharply critical, describing the U.S. regulatory system around GMOs as largely performative. They note that the FDA does not carry out, commission or require mandatory safety testing of GMOs entering the human food supply.
In 2025, Perfect Day was hit with a lawsuit filed by the Organic Consumers Association and GMOToxin Free USA, alleging the company misleads consumers about ProFerm. The lawsuit argues that Perfect Day markets ProFerm as safe, environmentally friendly, identical to cow-derived whey protein and free of genetically modified organisms. The reality is markedly different.
Notably, Bored Cow's website is no longer functioning and the product has quietly disappeared from most shelves. Brave Robot ice cream has also been discontinued. Perfect Day has downsized its workforce and shuttered its consumer-facing brands, though it plans to begin manufacturing in India in 2026.
What this means for other fake foods
As noted by BrightU.AI's Enoch, the findings raise serious questions about other genetically engineered food products. Impossible Foods' soy leghemoglobin, the "bleeding" ingredient in Impossible Burgers, contains approximately 35% contaminant proteins and metabolites from the GM yeast production strain, according to company submissions to European regulators.
Professor Michael Antoniou, commenting on the findings, warned: "With current technologies it is difficult, if not impossible, to purify GM micro-organism-produced proteins. It's therefore highly likely that such products will contain contaminants, which could prove to be toxic or allergenic."
Ken Roseboro, founder of The Organic & Non-GMO Report, said the findings are very concerning and called for mandatory safety testing. His advice to consumers? "Buyer beware." The European Union has committed 50 million euros to the precision fermentation sector. Meanwhile, Italy has become the first country to ban synthetic food products entirely.
Watch this video about synthetic foods and how they make you ill.
This video is from the Energy Matters, LLC channel on Brighteon.com.
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