Clean Food Group Secures UK, EU, and US Approval for Fermentation-Derived Cosmetic Oils

UK-based startup Clean Food Group (CFG) announced on September 12 that its fermentation-derived oil has received approval for use in cosmetics across the UK, Europe, and the United States. This milestone marks a significant step in the commercialization of CFG’s CLEAN OilCell technology platform, opening the door to the global personal care and cosmetics sector, which, according to Grand View Research, is projected to grow from USD 295.95 billion in 2023 to more than USD 445.98 billion by 2030.

The CLEAN OilCell platform uses a microbial fermentation process in which non-GM oil yeasts are cultivated on food waste as a carbon and nutrient source, in a system similar to that used in the brewing industry. Once the yeast has matured, the lipids and oils within the cells are extracted. These oils share a fatty acid composition that is bioequivalent to palm oil, high-oleic palm oil, or other functional oils and fats commonly used in food, cosmetics, and related applications. Designed as a “drop-in” replacement, CFG’s fermentation oil performs comparably in a variety of formulations.

CFG developed its CLEAN Oil products in collaboration with THG LABS, the research and manufacturing arm of THG Beauty, as well as specialty chemicals company Croda. The technology originated from eight years of research led by Professor Chris Chuck at the University of Bath, before CFG, founded in 2021 by CEO Alex Neves and co-chairman Ed McDermott, acquired the intellectual property in 2022. Professor Chuck, now serving as CFG’s technical lead, emphasized that securing approval for cosmetic use demonstrates the importance of collaboration across supply chains and manufacturing in scaling biotechnological innovation to commercial levels.