German B2B biotech Kynda announces that it is introducing in the European market a new zero-waste mycelium ingredient — exempt from EU novel food regulations — for alt meat and hybrid products.
Branded Kynda Meat, the ingredient is said to be a highly nutritious and a “truly sustainable” alternative to animal proteins. It is made only with upcycled ingredients fermented in a highly efficient 48-hour biomass fermentation process.
“They’re readily available today, free from regulatory constraints”
In a first collaboration, Kynda Meat will debut at the Internorga trade fair in Hamburg (starting today), in vegan burgers created by the food tech The Ranging Pig Co. A new range of vegan sausages by The Ranging Pig will also be available for tasting.
“Our mycelium-based ingredients offer a unique blend of taste, nutrition and environmental benefits to meet the growing demand for environmentally conscious options. And they’re readily available today, free from regulatory constraints,” comments Daniel MacGowan, CEO of Kynda.
Taste and sustainability
Founded by Daniel MacGowan von Holstein and Franziskus Schnabel, Kynda has developed a biomass fermentation platform that uses industry waste side streams to grow a strain of fungus (which has not been disclosed) in bioreactors in 48 hours — a significant improvement over the industry standard of seven to ten days.
Moreover, Kynda claims that its fermentation process emits 700% less GHG emissions than pea protein, making its products an attractive option for manufacturers looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
Regarding the nutritional profile of the ingredient, it is said to offer a protein content of 37% in dry matter, encompassing all nine essential amino acids. It is also low in fat and rich in high-quality fiber and vitamins.
“Our focus has always been on taste and sustainability. With Kynda’s nutritious and allergen-free ingredients, we’re able to significantly lower our production costs and are finally able to compete with heavily subsidised meat producers”, shares Dr. Arne Ewerbeck, co-founder of The Raging Pig Co.
Revolutionising the food industry
In addition to focusing on turning agri-food by-products into mycelium ingredients, Kynda provides affordable “plug-and-play” bioreactors and starter cultures for companies to produce edible mycelium.
To commercialize its ingredient, Kynda plans to establish partnerships with food service and gastronomy businesses and expand with food retailers later in the year.
The German biotech ambitions include increasing production to 30,000 L and creating a decentralized fermentation network by partnering with agri-food companies.
In Germany, Infinite Roots (previously Mushlabs), MicroHarvest, and the ProteinDistillery also use biomass fermentation to diversify proteins from animal sources.
“We’re beyond happy to team up with such a like-minded and purpose-driven company. This partnership signifies a huge milestone in our journey to revolutionise the food industry by offering truly sustainable alternatives,” MacGowan adds.
