Animal-free peptones and yeast extracts: why and how to switch

Classic peptones are digests of meat, casein or gelatin. They work well, but they bring animal-origin documentation, lot variability and a residual risk of transmissible agents. Plant and yeast-based alternatives now cover most applications.

Why switch

• Lower risk of adventitious agents. Regulators expect manufacturers of biologics to minimise animal-derived raw materials. Removing them from upstream media simplifies risk assessments.
• Simpler paperwork. No certificates of bovine origin or TSE statements to chase for each lot.
• Wider acceptance. Animal-free inputs suit vegan, halal and kosher product claims further down the chain.

Everything in our Animal-free Range carries an origin statement in the product specification, and we left out peptones and hydrolysates that lacked one.

The main options

Standard vs ultrafiltered grades

Ultrafiltration passes the hydrolysate through a membrane with a defined molecular-weight cut-off. The permeate is clearer, filters more easily, and typically carries less endotoxin. That makes Soya peptone, ultrafiltered and Yeast extract, ultrafiltered better choices for mammalian and insect cell culture, where the medium must pass a 0.2 µm sterilising filter. Granulated forms such as Yeast extract, granulated dust less and dissolve faster at scale.

Qualifying a replacement

1. Run the new peptone side by side with your current one at equal nitrogen content, not equal mass.
2. Compare growth rate, final density and product titre over at least three runs.
3. Test at least two lots before committing, then fix a specification (total nitrogen, amino nitrogen, ash, moisture) with your supplier.

For ready-made media, vegetable versions of standard broths such as Tryptone soya broth (vegetable) are available in Fermentation & Microbial Media. Browse Peptones & Hydrolysates and Yeast Extracts for the full range.

Products in this guide

Soya peptonePeptones & Hydrolysates Soya peptone, ultrafilteredPeptones & Hydrolysates Pea hydrolysate soya peptonePeptones & Hydrolysates Peptone Veg No.1Plant Tissue Culture Yeast extract powderCAS 8013-01-2 Yeast extract, ultrafilteredYeast Extracts Yeast extract, granulatedYeast Extracts Tryptone soya broth (vegetable)Fermentation & Microbial Media

Related collections

Peptones & Hydrolysates 35 Yeast Extracts 12 Animal-free Range 3238 Plant-derived Materials 429