Overview
- A team led by veterinarian Carla Molento at the Federal University of Parana is developing precision-fermented donkey collagen and says it is targeting a system ready for scale production by the end of 2027, a goal reported by multiple outlets but not yet confirmed as a commercial product.
- Researchers estimate the ejiao industry currently needs roughly 4.8 million donkey hides a year, a demand level that threatens global donkey numbers because the animals breed slowly and many national populations are already depleted.
- Policy responses have tightened: the African Union imposed a 15-year ban on the donkey skin trade in 2024 and Brazil enacted a national ban on donkey slaughter in April, which effectively closed its last major slaughterhouse.
- Illegal sourcing and unsafe handling of skins raise animal welfare and biosecurity concerns, a risk highlighted by a large Hong Kong customs seizure of about 150 tonnes of smuggled donkey skins declared as frozen food.
- Consumer surveys show many buyers do not know ejiao comes from donkey skin but that a large share would consider lab-made alternatives if they are affordable, so commercial scale-up, cost, regulatory approval, and industry acceptance will determine whether the new product reduces slaughter.