10 Notable Developments in Fermentation-Based Food Innovation
Future Food Fermentat10n: January 2024
Fermentation is a fundamental process in the bioeconomy.
This time-honoured process, once limited to the fields of food preservation and flavour enhancement, has now unfolded into a wide range of applications. It’s particularly played a key role in transforming the food industry and shaping the future of food.
In this first edition of Future Food Fermentat10n, let’s look back at ten (hence the “10n”, get it?) notable developments that took place in January 2024 in the fermentation-enabled food industry.
Please note that this is a list, not a ranking.
Let’s go.
🥛 Imagindairy receives US regulatory approval for its animal-free dairy proteins; and acquires an industrial-scale production plant
This approval, in the form of a "no questions letter" from the FDA, makes Imagindairy the third company, alongside Israel’s Remilk and California's Perfect Day, to attain such clearance for animal-free whey protein.
With the FDA clearance secured, Imagindairy is now seeking partnerships with food companies to introduce products like milk, cream cheese, ice cream, and yoghurt to the market, ensuring no compromise on taste, price, or consumer experience.
Imagindairy acquired an industrial-scale production plant, boosting its production capacity to 100,000 litres of animal-free dairy proteins. The startup plans to 3x this volume in the next 1-2 years. The company claims to be the first in the industry to fully own and operate such large-scale production lines.
Read full article - Green Queen
🍄 Infinite Roots (formerly Mushlabs) raised $58M in Series B funding, marking “Europe's largest” investment in mycelium
The company plans to use the funds to “move into a new era of commercial growth,” which includes expanding production and launching products globally.
Infinite Roots uses patented fermentation technologies to produce a variety of nutrient-rich, resource-efficient foods from edible mushroom mycelium. This offers a sustainable alternative to traditional animal products and crops like soy while providing an umami taste.
In 2022, Infinite Roots partnered with one of Germany’s largest breweries, Bitburger Brewery Group, to use byproducts from beer production to create edible fermented mycelium, aligning with the company's mission to make food production more sustainable.
Read full article - vegconomist
🎓 Liberation Labs and Ivy Tech Community College-Richmond team up to launch a biomanufacturing workforce training program
The program is designed to train ~30 employees in precision fermentation in preparation for working at Liberation Labs' new plant in Richmond, Indiana, set to begin operations later this year.
Recruitment for the program will start in spring 2024, with training commencing in late summer. It will include a combination of biotechnology and fermentation training, focusing on key principles, manufacturing practices, and safety protocols.
This initiative will create new career opportunities in biomanufacturing for local workers and allow Ivy Tech to enhance its specialisation in biotechnology, benefiting both the community and the future of the industry.
Read full article - vegconomist
🇮🇪 University College Cork launches multi-disciplinary fermentation research centre to advance the Irish food and bioeconomy sectors
SUSFERM, the fermentation research centre at UCC, was built to foster collaboration among industry, academic, and government experts in the bioeconomy sector. It also includes a research infrastructure funded by the Science Foundation Ireland.
The centre's colloquium highlighted the potential of precision fermentation and microbial biomanufacturing in transforming the production of food, enzymes, and organic acids through the specialised design and engineering of microbes.
SUSFERM will focus on developing eco-friendly and economically viable commercial operations by optimising microbial fermentation processes, using sustainable feedstocks, and scaling up in biorefineries.
Read full post - University College Cork
🇫🇮 Enifer receives a €12M grant from the EU's NextGenerationEU programme for building a commercial-scale mycoprotein facility
The Finnish biotech startup is developing a mycoprotein ingredient called PEKILO using fungal fermentation and industrial byproducts. The plant, costing €30 million, aims to be completed by 2025 and start production in 2026.
The new facility is anticipated to produce 3 million kg of PEKILO annually, offering a protein yield equivalent to 30,000 cows with at least 20x fewer carbon emissions.
PEKILO is a high-protein, fiber-rich powder with a neutral taste and colour, suitable for various food applications. Enifer aims for global commercialisation post-regulatory approval in the EU, targeted for 2024.
Read full article - vegconomist
🇮🇱 Mediterranean Food Lab (MFL) secures $17M series A funding to advance its AI-powered solid-state fermentation technology
The Israeli startup uses a blend of solid-state fermentation and AI-driven analysis to produce clean-label savoury ingredients, enhancing the flavour of plant-based foods.
The process involves initial fermentation using microbes on substrates like grains or legumes, followed by a secondary fermentation stage using enzymes that are produced as biocatalysts.
MFL's ingredients are regulated as 'foodstuffs' in the EU and food ingredients in the US, offering a clean label alternative to conventional flavour additives. The process avoids synthetic components found in typical 'natural flavours', instead providing transparently sourced ingredients like 'fermented chickpea'.
Read full article - AgFunder
🍫 Solar Foods partners with Fazer Group to launch chocolate snack bar made with air protein in Singapore
The snack bar, named "Taste the Future," marks Solein's (Solar Foods’ protein) retail debut in Singapore. The vegan snack bar contains Nordic oat puffs and 2% Solein powder. It is produced without palm oil and uses 100% responsibly sourced cocoa.
Fazer, a major stakeholder in Solar Foods, hosted a media tasting and public sampling event for the "Taste the Future Chocolate Snack Bar". Singapore was selected due to its innovative food ecosystem and the population's openness to novel, nutritious, and sustainable food options.
Solein is produced to minimise land, water, and chemical usage, emitting only 1% of GHG compared to conventional meat. Its nutritional profile is comparable to dried soy or algae, containing high protein, essential fats, dietary fiber, minerals, iron, and B vitamins.
Read full article - Green Queen
🧀 Bolder Foods introduces a mycelium-based ingredient, offering creamy, buttery textures and umami flavours for cheese alternatives
The mycelium-based ingredient, MycoVeg, is produced using biomass fermentation, which is highly sustainable and requires minimal growth resources. Rich in vitamins, proteins, and fibre, mycelium improves the nutritional profile of MycoVeg.
The Belgian food tech claims to have created a new library of flavours and textures, using unique combinations of microbes and feedstocks to deliver superior cheese alternatives.
The company made its debut in the plant-based cheese market with Chizou, a cheese alternative made from cauliflower and chickpeas with the ability to melt and brown like traditional cheese with no flavours.
Read full article - vegconomist
🌴 Palm oil alternative startup C16 Biosciences secured $3.5M from the Gates Foundation to enter the food industry
With the new funding, C16 aims to expand its consumer brand, Palmless, by creating food-grade fats and oils from non-agricultural feedstocks and hiring additional R&D staff. An additional $1M investment from Elemental Excelerator will be used to pursue FDA GRAS status.
Having achieved commercial-scale production and started generating revenue in the personal care industry, C16 is now focusing on expanding its range of applications to include high-performance ingredients for the food sector.
The company’s feasibility studies have demonstrated how its precision fermentation-based palm oil alternative can work as a deforestation-free replacement for palm oil in foods like ice cream, chocolate, and bakery items.
Read full article - Green Queen
🥛 Perfect Day's founders are stepping down, with the company finalising a ~$90M pre-Series E round and appointing interim CEO
The founders are leaving without retaining board seats or disclosing their financial positions, marking a significant change in the company's leadership structure.
Perfect Day is hinting at an imminent collaboration with a major CPG company to use its fermented whey protein, and it is also developing new molecules through its nth bio enterprise.
With an ongoing executive search for a new CEO, interim CEO TM Narayan, a strong candidate for the role, is expected to guide Perfect Day towards profitability. The pre-Series E funding was partly supported by existing investors, with additional capital from other investors
Read full article - AgFunder
Honourable mentions
🍄 MYCO acquires “food industry first” facility for oyster mushroom-based protein to meet rising demand for meat alternatives
🇳🇿 Daisy Lab has successfully produced animal-identical whey proteins in 10 L fermenters, marking a significant scaling milestone
🇫🇷 Standing Ovation received €3M to scale up the production of precision fermentation-derived caseins for novel dairy products
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