World’s First Cultivated Eel, Europe's Largest Mycelium Investment, and China Embraces GMOs for Food Security
World’s First Cultivated Eel, Europe's Largest Mycelium Investment, and China Embraces GMOs for Food Security
Also: Camels > Unicorns
Hi, thanks for being here!
I hope you’re having a great day. Don't forget to keep yourself hydrated! 💦
To start things off (shoutout to Daniel Skavén Ruben for this idea!), I want to share my favourite quote that I read this week.
“Elon Musk says they would have failed twice, if not for long-term low-interest government loans. There is no solar industry, there is no EV [electric vehicle] industry, there is no biopharma industry, if not for governments helping the companies that can’t qualify for standard bank loans, giving them long-term low-interest loans.”
- Bruce Friedrich, The Good Food Institute's founder, on the necessity of government support for the cultivated meat industry.
Alright, let’s dig in. 🍽
BIO BUZZ
🇮🇱 Forsea unveils “world’s first” cultivated eel
The Israeli startup has created a cell-based prototype of freshwater eel, specifically the Japanese unagi (Anguilla japonica), which replicates the traditional eel's tender texture and rich flavour.
Forsea uses organoid technology forming 3D microtissues of fat and muscle without scaffolding, simplifying production, and enhancing scalability. This method could address industry challenges and supply bottlenecks while also being more cost-effective as it decreases the reliance on growth factors.
Forsea aims to commercially launch its cell-based eel product by 2025, targeting strategic partnerships in Japan, the largest consumer of freshwater eel, with plans to expand into other Asian markets.
Read full article - The Cell Base
🇮🇪 UCC 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
🧀 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
🇳🇱 Meatable, a Dutch cultivated pork company, prepares for the country’s first legal cultivated meat tasting
The news follows the recent launch of an independent Expert Committee, formed by Cellular Agriculture Netherlands (CANS), to evaluate tasting requests for cultivated meat and seafood.
Other companies, like Mosa Meat (cultivated beef) and Upstream Foods (cultivated salmon fat), support the Expert Committee, with Mosa Meat planning to apply for the first legal tastings of cultivated beef.
The approval of cultivated meat tastings in the Netherlands is a big win for the industry. It offers consumers a chance to compare novel foods to traditional meat and potentially inspires international progress in the cultivated meat sector.
Read full article - vegconomist
🍤 Steakholder Foods introduces the ‘world’s first’ 3D-printed plant-based shrimp
The shrimp was produced using the Israeli biotech’s proprietary DropJet printer and shrimp-flavored inks that were developed in-house. The technology precisely prints the shrimp analogs, layer by layer, to replicate the texture and flavour of shrimp.
Initially targeting potential clients with plant-based shrimps, Steakholder Foods plans to introduce hybrid shrimps (a mix of cultivated cells and plant proteins) when its cultivated platform becomes cost-effective.
The CEO, Arik Kaufman, envisions this innovation positioning Steakholder Foods in the global seafood market, with plans to sell and deliver the first DropJet printer in 2024.
Read full article - vegconomist
🌱🧫 Ayana Bio partners with Wooree Green Science to develop agriculture-free saffron using plant-cell tech
The companies will produce saffron to make it more affordable for plant-based weight-loss supplements, particularly focusing on the South Korean health and wellness market.
Using this novel method, the companies aim to address supply chain challenges and expensive labour fees. This approach also reduces the negative effects of climate change on saffron crops, making the supply chain less vulnerable.
Both companies expect that the partnership and the use of plant cell cultivation technology will have broader applications across various industries. These industries include F&B, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, and the technology could address sustainability needs and advance functional ingredient development.
Read full article - vegconomist
🎉 SCiFi Foods completed its first production run of cultivated beef using a 500L bioreactor
The company achieved a substantial yield of cultivated beef in a process that was 100% serum-free. This production scale is expected to be the standard for commercialization post-regulatory approval, with the capacity to produce thousands of SCiFi Burgers monthly.
SCiFi has addressed a key industry challenge by developing beef cell lines that grow in single-cell suspension, allowing cultivation in standard stir-tank bioreactors without the need for scaling up complex hardware.
SCiFi is actively working with US regulators to secure approval for its cultivated ground beef product. Upon approval, the company is set to launch its ground beef blend, composed of 10% cultivated beef and 90% plant-based ingredients.
Read full article on LinkedIn - SCiFi Foods
🤝 Pureture partners with South Korea's third-largest dairy producer to launch vegan casein products
The New York-based startup's vegan casein is produced through a GMO-free, yeast-based liquid fermentation process, effectively emulating the properties of milk casein. This method offers a cleaner alternative by eliminating the need for additives such as starches, gums, and emulsifiers.
The vegan casein matches the nutritional value of conventional milk (with a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score of one). It also offers cost advantages, being 30-40% cheaper than bovine dairy production, thanks to the efficiencies of the continuous fermentation and protein recovery processes.
Pureture is close to finalising an oversubscribed $12M seed funding round. The funding will be used to build manufacturing facilities and further develop the brand’s sustainability credentials.
Read full article - Green Queen
MACRO STUFF
💡 Tired of the misinformation and confusion around plant-based meat? Green Queen Media’s comprehensive guide has you covered!
The guide addresses the complexities and misconceptions surrounding ultra-processed foods (UPF) and plant-based meat, particularly in the context of health discussions and environmental sustainability.
There's a notable shift in media narratives describing plant-based meats as ultra-processed and potentially unhealthy, leading to public confusion. Additionally, the absence of plant-based meats in significant studies on UPF complicates the discourse, making it challenging to form well-informed opinions on the subject.
The category of UPF is extensive, including not only plant-based meats but also items commonly perceived as healthy, such as wholemeal bread, smoked tofu, and nutrient-enriched drinks. This diversity indicates that not all UPFs are inherently unhealthy, adding complexity to the conversation about diet and health.
The guide offers much-needed transparency and context about this complicated topic. Check it out!
🚧 12 EU agriculture ministers form a coalition against cultivated meat
A coalition is advocating for a revision of the regulatory framework for authorising cultivated meat, citing concerns about its economic, public health, and farming impacts, and seeking to establish strict labelling guidelines.
The initiative, proposed by Austria, France, and Italy, has garnered support from the Czech, Cypriot, Greek, Hungarian, Luxembourg, Lithuanian, Maltese, Romanian, and Slovak delegations.
Ivo Rzegott, Public Affairs Manager at the Good Food Institute Europe, argues that the coalition's stance against cultivated meat is based on misleading information and a non-peer-reviewed study. This study is at odds with the majority of existing literature and overlooks recent advancements in the industry, such as the elimination of fetal bovine serum (FBS) from production.
Read full article - vegconomist
🇨🇳 China expands GMO cultivation for food security, approving new varieties of soybeans and corn
This move indicates a strategic pivot towards self-reliance in food production, aiming to reduce dependence on imports by broadening the range of domestically cultivated GMO crops.
The country is expanding planting zones for certain GM crop varieties to allow nationwide cultivation. This expansion aligns with its goal to improve local production capabilities, ensuring a stable, self-sufficient food supply.
As the world's largest importer of soybeans and corn, China's decision to grow specific GM varieties could significantly influence planting decisions and regional agricultural markets worldwide.
Read full article - Food Ingredients First
💬 Quotes from cultivated meat leaders at Tufts University Cellular Agriculture Innovation Day 2024 to ponder on
The Good Food Institute's founder, Bruce Friedrich, on the necessity of government support for the cultivated meat industry:
“Elon Musk says they would have failed twice, if not for long-term low-interest government loans. There is no solar industry, there is no EV [electric vehicle] industry, there is no biopharma industry, if not for governments helping the companies that can’t qualify for standard bank loans, giving them long-term low-interest loans.”
Ark Biotech's CEO and founder, Yossi Quint, on cultivated meat capacity:
“If Samsung Biologics [world's largest cell culture facility] were to be running every single minute of every single day for an entire year, they would produce less cultivated meat than the average Tyson facility produces in one day. So what we’re talking about, it’s not a 10x increase or an 100x increase, maybe not even 1,000x increase. What we’re talking about is a 5,000 to 10,000x increase in what’s needed. It’s not about incremental change. We’re talking about a revolution, and that means reimagining what infrastructure looks like.”
Read full article - AgFunder
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BIO BUCKS
🍄 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
🥩 Chunk Foods secures $7.5M seed extension and announces partnership with Better Balance to expand products to Latin America
The extension brings the seed round to a total raise of $22 million, making it one of the largest seed rounds in the alt protein category, according to Chunk Foods.
Better Balance is a subsidiary of Sigma Alimentos, one of LATAM’s largest meat and dairy producers. The partnership with Chunk Foods involves developing and introducing co-branded plant-based whole cuts for the LATAM market.
Both companies are focusing on meeting consumer demands for taste, texture, transparency, and convenience. The collaboration aims to explore the “substantial untapped potential” of alternatives to premium segments.
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
🇨🇿 Mewery has been awarded a non-dilutive grant of ~€200,000 by the Czech government to improve the efficiency of its production platform
The Czech biotech plans to use the funds for studies focusing on cell characterization, metabolite involvement in cell growth, and gene expression patterns. These studies aim to understand cellular processes and interactions as the company prepares to scale up.
The company is the first in Europe to produce cultivated pork using growth factors derived from microalgae. The new free serum enhances performance and reduces production costs by 70%, leading to lower prices for cultivated meat.
The grant will also support Mewery in gathering essential data for safety approval from relevant authorities. This includes details on the nutritional composition of the biomass and the production process, ensuring future compliance and market readiness.
Read full article - vegconomist
🌱 Elo Life Systems raised an additional $20.5M in Series A extension to bring monk fruit-derived natural sweetener to market
Its first product, launching in 2026, will be a natural, monk fruit-derived sweetener that Elo Life claims is 300x sweeter than sugar without the calories. It also has a partnership with Dole to create a fungal-resistant Cavendish banana.
Elo Life is innovating by reducing costs and carbon footprint using molecular farming to produce monk fruit sweeteners in easier-to-grow crops like watermelons and sugar beets.
The upcoming two years for Elo Life will focus on scaling up, including engaging with growers, processors, ingredient companies, and regulators to prepare for the commercial launch of its sweetener products.
Read full article - TechCrunch
SOCIAL FEAST
🤡 “I eat real meat because plant-based meat is so ultra-processed”
Actually, both of these meats are ultra-processed. The "real meat" burgers from fast food joints are considered ultra-processed according to the NOVA definition.
When compared side-by-side, Impossible Foods (plant-based) products offer nutritional advantages over processed red meat: 17% less fat, 17% less saturated fat, 82% less cholesterol, 94% more fiber, 13% more sodium (only downside), similar calories, protein, iron, and sugar.
Beef is not a healthy option compared to Impossible Foods. Processed red meat is classified as a known carcinogen, while saturated fat and cholesterol can contribute to heart disease. Lack of fiber is associated with poor gut health and immune system dysfunction.
Read full post on LinkedIn - Irina Gerry
🐫 Don’t build Unicorns, build Camels
Camels are used metaphorically to symbolise sustainable startups that prioritise survival by balancing strong growth and cash flow. Unlike unicorns, which are imaginary creatures, camels are real and resilient, capable of surviving in challenging environments.
Old vs. New Approach:
Old Way: Excessive spending, inefficient strategies, a focus on rapid growth at any cost, and heavy hiring along with building infrastructure.
New Way: Smart partnerships for hardware, using AI and automation, achieving efficient and profitable growth, forming a lean team with a mix of full-time employees and freelancers, and having founders and C-level executives serve as role models.
Camels are the new thing. Efficient and lean bootstrapped startups are becoming attractive to investors, marking a shift in investor preferences towards sustainability and long-term viability over flashy growth.
Read full post on LinkedIn - Gerrit Feuerriegel
🇪🇺 President of Cellular Agriculture Europe weighs in on EU ministers' debate on cultivated meat
Meat consumption is expected to increase by ~50% by 2050. The current production methods are insufficient and unsustainable. Europe's strong position and the relevance of cellular agriculture in addressing the increase in meat consumption make the “misinformed discussion all the more disappointing.”
The introduction of cultivated meat and seafood to the market involves an extensive, multi-year safety review by EFSA, followed by a collective decision-making process involving each Member State. This structured approach ensures safety and collaboration at various governance levels.
Cellular agriculture is not a threat to European farmers but rather an opportunity to complement existing protein production. It can create new revenue streams by using crops to feed cells for cultivated meat.
“The system is working as it was designed and this is not a binary choice; we can both support and protect European farmers and build a world class innovation ecosystem that creates news jobs and helps feed a growing planet without destroying it.”
Read comment on LinkedIn - Robert E. Jones
Got a taste for this newsletter? Dish it out to your friends!👇🏾
EAR FOOD
🎙 The guru of alt proteins himself, with Bruce Friedrich of the Good Food Institute
Show: Another ClimateTech Podcast
Host: Ryan Grant Little
Guest: Bruce Friedrich, the founder and president of the Good Food Institute (GFI)
GFI is dedicated to transforming the global food system by promoting alt proteins. The mission is to make alt proteins mainstream by 2050, addressing the escalating meat production and its environmental consequences, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and antimicrobial resistance.
Bruce believes that to boost alternative proteins, they must match the taste, cost, and availability of conventional meats. He supports the notion that it's better to sway consumer habits by presenting attractive options rather than by discouraging the consumption of traditional meats.
The conversation highlights the importance of government incentives and support in fostering the alt protein industry, similar to renewable energy and electric vehicles.
That’s a wrap. Thank you for taking the time to read this edition! 🙏🏾
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