Microbial Protein

Fermtech, an Oxford-based startup developing what it claims to be a zero-carbon protein, has raised over £325,000 in a crowdfunding round-

Image courtesy of Fermtech
Investments & Finance

Fermtech Raises Over £325,000 in Crowdfunding for Zero-Carbon Protein Trialed by Major Food Companies

Fermtech, an Oxford-based startup developing what it claims to be a zero-carbon protein, has raised over £325,000 in a crowdfunding round launched on the Crowdcube platform last month. The company has already surpassed its initial funding goal, yet the campaign remains open for another week. Using solid-state fermentation, the fungus Aspergillus oryzae — known as koji and widely used in foods — and spent grains from local breweries as feedstock, …

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Spain’s MOA Foodtech, a B2B platform for alternative proteins and sustainable ingredients, announces the closure of a series A funding round led by the Dutch venture capital firm ICOS Capital.

Image courtesy of MOA Foodtech
Investments & Finance

MOA Foodtech Raises Funds to Scale AI-Driven Production of Highly Nutritious Microbial Proteins

Spain’s MOA Foodtech, a B2B platform for alternative proteins and sustainable ingredients, announces the closure of a Series A funding round led by the Dutch venture capital firm ICOS Capital. Notable investors ClaveMayor, Viscofan, SODENA, and Banco Sabadell also participated. Founded in 2021 in Pamplona, Navarra by Susana Sánchez (CSO), José María Elorza (CFO), and Bosco Emparanza (CEO), MOA Foodtech leverages precision fermentation, agrifood side streams, and AI to discover …

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Dutch food tech pioneer Revyve to debut yeast-based egg replacer for plant-based burgers in Chicago

© Alessa Joseph - Image courtesy of revyve
Fairs & Events

Revyve Introduces “Super Clean” Yeast-Based Egg Replacer for Plant-Based Burgers at IFT First 2024

Dutch food tech company Revyve announces it will debut its high-performance, clean-label egg replacer designed to enhance the texture of plant-based burgers at IFT First 2024. The ingredient, made with Revyve’s yeast proteins, is said to mimic the functionality of egg whites (heat-set gelling, binding, and emulsification), delivering the sensory experience consumers expect in plant-based meat. According to the Dutch company, its egg replacer — the first to be available …

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Dutch precision fermentation startup Vivici B.V. announces it has successfully scaled its platform to produce a beta-lactoglobulin

© Vivici
Fermentation

Vivici Achieves Scaling Milestone to Produce Animal-Free Beta-Lactoglobulin

After raising capital to produce animal-free proteins, Dutch precision fermentation startup Vivici announces it has successfully scaled its platform to produce a beta-lactoglobulin — the major whey protein in milk. After this milestone, Vivici plans to introduce its flagship product in early 2024. As a B2B company, it will supply leading F&B brands searching for sustainable whey ingredients to meet the growing demand for sustainable products. The company is working on …

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Changing Bio launches alt dairy line made with microbial proteins

Changing Bio- Image courtesy of GFI
Company News

Dao Foods Releases Detailed Report on Microbial Fermentation Industry in China

Dao Foods International has released The Role of Fermentation in New Protein Adoption in China, a new report on the state of microbial proteins in the country. Co-written and led by Rouyu Wu, director of investment and innovation at Dao Foods, the report explores the exceptional factors that make China a prime location for biomanufacturing microbial proteins. The review examines the historical progress of the biomanufacturing infrastructure and the recent …

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Solar Foods' protein Solein used in different dishes

© Solar Foods
Fermentation

Solar Foods and Ajinomoto Unite to Create Next-Gen Air-Based Protein Foods

Last week, Finland’s Solar Foods debuted its microbial protein Solein, made out of thin air, at a tasting event in Singapore. After this historic moment in food history, Solar Foods has announced a strategic alliance with Japanese food and biotechnology corporation Ajinomoto to develop products using the revolutionary Solein and introduce them to global markets.  The partnership—Solar Foods’ first collaboration with a major global food brand—will make Solein a reality. In the coming …

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Changing Bio's parmesan cheese made with microbial protein

Image courtesy of GFI
Fermentation

Changing Bio Launches China’s First Range of Microbial Protein Dairy Alternatives

After winning the Sustainability Innovation Award at BEYOND Expo 2023 in Macau, Shanghai-based Changing Bio officially debuted the company’s first line of alt dairy products made with a microbial protein derived from yeast dubbed Kluvy at the 25th annual Bakery Expo in Shanghai.  At the event, the company’s new ChangingPRO line, including whipped cream and a low-fat parmesan powder high in protein and probiotics featured the novel protein Kluvy mixed with plant-based …

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microbial protein Formo cheese gratin

© Formo
Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Dutch Government Funds Project to Assess Characteristics of Microbial Proteins 

A Dutch public-private consortium is collaborating on a multi-year project to optimise the processing conditions for different microbial organisms, including microalgae, bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. The project’s aim is to assess which microbial proteins have the functional, economic, and sustainability characteristics needed to create protein-rich ingredients for food applications.  Rianne Ruijschop, Department Head of Health at NIZO and the consortium’s coordinator, explains that the project is divided into four experimental …

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Natures Fynd patties

© Nature's Fynd
Fermentation

Deforestation Could be Halved by Replacing 20% of Beef With Microbial Protein

Research conducted by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) has found that deforestation could be halved if a fifth of beef is replaced with microbial protein by 2050. This type of protein is produced via fermentation, using microbes grown in cultures. The process is similar to producing bread or beer, and was first used to make protein products as long ago as the 1980s. For the new study, …

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