Nutriearth Scales Light-Activated Vitamin D3
Nutriearth, a French startup, has found an intriguing new source for producing vitamin D3: mealworms.
According to CEO Jeremy Burks, while raising mealworms for bulk protein is economically challenging, they are well-suited for producing a more lucrative product: vitamin D3.
There are several forms of vitamin D, but the dominant form in supplements is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is produced when UV-B light from the sun converts a sterol in skin (7-DHC) to "pre-vitamin D3", then transforming into cholecalciferol.
Deficiency is common even in sunny regions when modern lifestyles limit time outdoors.
Nutriearth is scaling production of vitamin D3 from mealworms for human consumption, offering a potential solution to this common deficiency.
Author's summary: Nutriearth produces vitamin D3 from mealworms.
- Vitamin D3 is the dominant form in supplements
- Mealworms are a new source for producing vitamin D3
- Nutriearth is scaling production for human consumption