Enifer Partners With FS to Produce Mycoproteins in Brazil from Corn Ethanol Sidestreams
Finnish mycoprotein company Enifer has announced that its proprietary PEKILO® fermentation technology is set to arrive in Latin America for the first time, in partnership with Brazilian ethanol producer FS. The collaboration will mark the first time Enifer’s PEKILO®Pet and PEKILO®Aqua production processes have operated outside Europe, and the first time corn ethanol-derived thin stillage has been used as feedstock. FS is now working to construct an industrial process at …
Report: How Cellular Agriculture Could Make the Finnish Food System More Sustainable & Profitable
A new report by VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, Natural Resources Institute Finland, and the University of Helsinki has investigated the state of cellular agriculture in the country. At the request of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry and Business Finland, the authors list eight recommendations for policymakers, which include making investments in production-scale infrastructures and expediting and streamlining the EU’s regulatory process. According to the report, cellular agriculture …
Solar Foods Signs MoUs Regarding Commercialization of 6,000 Tonnes of Solein, While Fazer Launches Solein-Powered Products in the US
Solar Foods has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two international customers regarding the commercialization of 6,000 tonnes of its air-based protein, Solein, per year. The MoUs are a joint plan of the companies and outline the principles of the planned collaboration. Solar Foods has already been working with the companies on research and product development. If the collaboration leads to a binding agreement, the 6,000 tonne volume would …
Study: Enifer’s PEKILO®Pet Mycoprotein Ingredient is Up to Seven Times More Carbon Efficient Than Soy Protein Concentrate
A new life cycle assessment by Finnish biotech company Enifer has found that the carbon footprint of the company’s proprietary mycoprotein ingredient, PEKILO®Pet, is significantly lower than that of many common pet food ingredients. The cradle-to-gate total carbon footprint of PEKILO®Pet, covering fossil, biogenic, land use, land use change, and forestry emissions, was found to be 0.93 kgCO₂e per kilogram of product. In contrast, soy protein concentrate can produce up …
Solar Foods Edges Closer to Regulatory Approval for Air-Based Protein in the EU
Finland’s Solar Foods is moving closer to regulatory approval in the EU after addressing inquiries from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) regarding the safety of its air-based protein, Solein. The company submitted its novel food application back in 2021, providing a detailed dossier containing manufacturing data, product information, and supporting scientific evidence. Solein is currently undergoing a comprehensive application process to ensure it is safe for consumption, not misleadingly …
Rami Jokela Appointed CEO of Solar Foods as Company Targets Global Markets
Solar Foods has announced the appointment of Rami Jokela as its new chief executive officer, effective April 1, 2025. Jokela, who brings extensive experience in scaling international businesses, will lead the company as it moves from research and development into global commercialization. Jokela succeeds founding CEO Pasi Vainikka, who has led the company since its inception. Vainikka will continue in an advisory role through the end of 2025 to support …
Melt&Marble Partners With Valio to Develop Plant-Based Foods Containing Fermented Fats
Melt&Marble, a Swedish startup producing fat ingredients using precision fermentation, has partnered with major Finnish food company Valio to develop plant-based foods made with fermented fats. The long-term research collaboration will involve studying the properties of new types of fat produced by Melt&Marble, before commercializing plant-based foods containing the fats. These should have improved mouthfeel, structure, and succulence compared to existing plant-based alternatives. The fermented fats will need to gain …
Enifer Breaks New Ground as First Nordic Firm to Seek Novel Food Approval for Mycoprotein
Finnish biotech company Enifer announces that it has applied for regulatory approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to sell its flagship ingredient, PEKILO, in the EU. The company claims to be the first Nordic company to apply for a mycoprotein under novel foods. This regulatory step marks a significant milestone in the company’s commercialization efforts, which recently secured funding to build a €33 million production facility, scheduled for …
Finnish Alternative Protein Firms Secure €10M for Collaborative R&D Projects From Business Finland
Business Finland has granted two Finnish projects — FoodID and FinBioFAB — 10 million euros in R&D funding to create alternative proteins and materials through research collaboration. The Finnish projects were accepted into the Global Centers program led by the US National Science Foundation (NSF), operated jointly by six countries aiming for breakthrough solutions to global challenges. This year’s funding call focused on the bioeconomy, with the main themes being biofoundries …
BioMush Unveils Plug-and-Play Fermentation Tech to Turn Industry Sidestreams into Umami Ingredients
Finnish food tech company BioMush has developed solid-state fermentation technology using fungi to transform edible side streams and food waste into umami-flavored ingredients. The innovation targets food industry operators to help them address industrial waste while creating natural, clean-label flavoring solutions for plant-based foods. Outi Mäkinen, Tytti-Lotta Ojala, and Reetta Andolin founded BioMush in 2021 in Espoo. Under the leadership of CEO Kaisa Karhunen, the startup has raised $3.08 million to address …