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 market.

© Iiro Muttilainen

Company News

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 production by the end of 2025. In addition to the EU approval, which could take several years, Enifer plans to pursue GRAS status in the US and novel food approval in Singapore. “We’re incredibly proud to continue the work that visionary scientists began in the 1980s and to take this vital step towards bringing PEKILO® to …

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Giulia Casarini, Sales Leader EMEA Bioprocessing equipment © SOLARIS™ BIOTECH by Donaldson

Interviews

Solaris Biotech: “We are Deeply Passionate About the Alternative Protein Sector and its Transformative Potential”

In our latest interview, Giulia Casarini, Sales Leader EMEA at Solaris Biotech, discusses the evolving landscape of alternative protein production and the future of bioprocessing technology. Solaris Biotech specializes in delivering advanced technology solutions for the entire range of processes in the bioprocessing industry. Casarini offers insights into Solaris Biotech’s approach to supporting the alternative protein sector and shares her perspective on the trends shaping the industry. Can you elaborate on your unique selling proposition and how you differentiate yourselves from competitors in this space? At Solaris, we are deeply passionate about the alternative protein sector and its transformative potential for sustainability in the food industry. Our commitment to a more sustainable future drives us to collaborate with companies, research centers, and universities to pioneer …

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© MISTA

Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

MISTA Growth Hack Selects Biomass Fermentation as Key Theme for 2024

A unique collaboration of 14 early-stage food tech startups, eight leading global food companies, and key partners, including Accenture, the Good Food Institute, and SOSV, will be part of the 2024 MISTA Growth Hack. MISTA, a food innovation platform, and a Givaudan entity, aims to bring new sustainable ingredients and technologies to life to feed the planet. This year’s Growth Hack aims to develop integrated, nutritious, affordable, and sustainable foods, beverages, and snacks by enhancing biomass fermentation. This technology grows nutrient-dense microbial cells that can improve the nutritional and sensory performance of foods and beverages. “The food system needs new solutions to feed the 8.5 billion people that will populate the Earth in 2030,” said Céline Schiff-Deb, CSO for MISTA. “Fermentation biomass is an approach …

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Brazil’s Typcal, a startup based Paraná pionering mycoprotein in Latin America, has been selected by the Paraná Anjo Inovador to receive a R$250,000 in funding.

Eduardo Sydney and team © SEI-PR

Fermentation

LATAM’s Mycoprotein Innovator ‘Typcal’ Secures R$250K From Brazilian Government

Brazil’s Typcal, a startup pioneering mycoprotein in Latin America, has been selected by the Paraná Anjo Inovador to receive R$250,000 in funding. A spinoff of Fungi Biotechnology, the startup was founded in 2021 by bioprocess engineer Eduardo Sydney (CTO) and food industry entrepreneur Paulo Ibri (CEO) to leverage biomass fermentation to develop a mycoprotein ingredient for food applications. Typcal was one of the 68 selected in the program’s first call for proposals, which was developed by the regional government through the Secretariat for Innovation, Modernization, and Digital Transformation. According to the announcement, state funding has been crucial in helping the startup navigate the challenging investment landscape and focus on technological development. “The investor is focused on selling and generating revenue and not on developing technology, …

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Swedish foodtech startup Mycorena announces the discontinuation of its large-scale factory project in Sweden for scaling its mycoprotien Promyc

© Mycorena

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Mycorena Pauses Large-Scale Mycoprotein Facility: “Investors are Hesitant to Back Projects with Heavy Capital Requirements”

Pioneering mycelium-based solutions company Mycorena announces it is discontinuing its large-scale factory project in Sweden for Promyc, its flagship mycoprotein ingredient. Planned in 2022 and designed with Tetra Pak, the large-scale production factory aimed to supply the then “booming” plant-based market with volumes of mycoprotein: 5,000 tons by the end of 2023, with a total production volume of up to 100,000 tons in multiple stages. Despite significant growth and raising over €35 million in funding, including a €24 million Series A round, Mycorena says it has faced changing market conditions such as reduced investor interest in capital-intensive projects within the food tech industry and a slowdown in the plant-based meat market. The company says it attempted to raise Series B funding with SEB and Pareto …

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Brevel cheese

Image supplied by Brevel, credit Eldad Shatz

Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Biomass Fermentation Leader Brevel Inaugurates Commercial Plant for Affordable, Nutritious Microalgae Protein

Israel’s Brevel, a biomass fermentation startup using microalgae protein to create sustainable ingredients, announces the grand opening of its first commercial plant. Last July, the company secured $18.5 million in seed funding led by NevaTeam Partners and backed by the European Union’s EIC Fund, facilitating the current phase of commercial-scale production and global expansion. Located in Israel’s desert periphery, the new site covers 27,000 square feet (2,500m²) and includes headquarters, a large R&D center, and a large commercial manufacturing area. It features multiple bioreactors at different scales: 3, 50, 500 L, and the company’s first 5,000 L bioreactor. At the new site, Brevel can produce hundreds of tons of its flagship ingredient — a 60-70% microalgae protein concentrate for meat and dairy alternatives. The first …

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fermentation

© nordroden - stock.adobe.com

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Report Identifies 5 Disruptive Technologies to Shake Up Fermentation Industry

Following a comprehensive review of the fermentation sector, Lever VC, a leading venture capital firm specializing in alternative protein investments, announces the release of its latest report highlighting the top technologies that could advance the production of fermented food and ingredients. Lever VC argues that despite notable advancements in CRISPR gene editing, AI and machine learning for bioinformatics systems, and high-throughput screening technologies, challenges remain in scaling up biological processes and lowering expenses to reach price parity with animal products. The new report pinpoints five cutting-edge technologies that offer potential solutions to overcome existing barriers to transform the growing biomass and precision fermentation industries: 1. Organism strain development with potential to increase productivity 10X Different methods, such as artificial intelligence/machine learning-trained algorithms or trial-and-error approaches, promise …

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A mycoprotein steak

Image courtesy of Nosh.bio

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Nosh.bio’s Retroffited Plant Ready to Produce “Thousands of Tons” of Mycoprotein Annually

Nosh.bio, a B2B biomass fermentation startup recently showcased on the Investment Climate Podcast, announces it has achieved a production milestone at its newly established plant near Dresden, Germany. The biotech explains that it has conducted extensive production trials, indicating that is on track to produce “thousands of tons” of its mycoprotein ingredient annually. The inaugural production run is expected to occur within the next four to five months.  The company’s mycoprotein delivers a muscle-like structure, allowing manufacturers to produce single-ingredient meat and seafood alternatives without extrusion or additives. Furthermore, it provides an umami taste with zero aftertaste and a neutral color, providing manufacturers with a versatile ingredient with additional binding functionalities.  Retrofitting to scale Nosh.bio’s site was a closed brewery transformed into an alternative protein …

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Tacos filled with mycoprotein meat

© Maia Farms x The Better Butchers

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Maia Farms Secures $2.3M to Advance Climate Positive Food with Highly Nutritious Mycoprotein

Vancouver-based Maia Farms, a B2B producer of the mycoprotein and winner of the Deep Space Food Challenge Grand Prize with its ingredient CanPro, announces it has secured $2.3 million in a pre-seed funding round.  CanPro, a textured protein ingredient made with mycelium, is said to “dramatically” improve the taste and texture of food products while providing nutritional and sustainability benefits. It is rich in proteins, contains fiber, calcium, and 5.5 times more iron than beef, and requires only a tenth of the land needed to produce an equivalent amount of beef. With the newly raised capital, the Canadian innovator will accelerate its R&D activities, scale up operations, and grow its market reach.  A climate-positive food system The Californian VC Joyful Ventures, PIC Investing Group from Saskatchewan, and …

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VEGDOG Pure Bites made with microbial proteins

Image provided

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

MicroHarvest & VEGDOG Unveil Dog Treat with “First-of-its-Kind” Microbial Protein

Two German companies, the biotech startup MicroHarvest and plant-based pet food producer VEGDOG, have partnered to introduce a dog treat crafted from a sustainable ingredient: microbial proteins from biomass fermentation.  While other pet food products have utilized microbes like yeasts and mycelium, MicroHarvest’s first-of-its-kind protein is derived from bacteria that have been consumed by humans for centuries in foods such as kimchi, kefir, and sauerkraut, according to the announcement.  Combining the microbial protein with potato and apple pomace, the innovation — VEGDOG Pure Bites — is said to be hypoallergenic, suitable for dogs with protein intolerances and allergies, and recommended for use in veterinary practice. Tessa Zaune-Figlar, founder and CEO of VEGDOG, comments, “Our goal at VEGDOG is to show dog owners that they do not have to rely on meat-based products to …

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Nosh Biofoods has developed a mycoprotein for clean label meat alternatives

© Nosh Biofoods

Fermentation

Nosh.bio’s Mycoprotein for Single Ingredient, Clean-Label Alternatives to Reach Price Parity with Poultry in 2025

Nosh.bio, a B2B biomass fermentation startup based in Germany, has developed a unique mycoprotein that allows manufacturers to produce single-ingredient meat and seafood alternatives with a clean label. According to the startup, the new ingredient provides an umami taste with zero aftertaste and a neutral color. This allows the production of 100% mycoprotein analogs without any additives or binders, with final products only needing color additives, spices for flavor, and oil. “It is not only colour-neutral, it also has no off taste — an extremely important point in the context of the alternative protein space, where several protein sources have a strong off taste requiring masking agents, and therefore long ingredient lists,” Tim Fronzek, Nosh.bio’s CEO and co-founder explained in conversation with Cultivated X.  Long …

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ProteinDistillery announces a partnership with the machine manufacturer NETZSCH to advance the purification processes of Prew:tein.

© ProteinDistillery

Company News

ProteinDistillery and NETZSCH Partner to Advance Egg-Like Prew:tein from Upcycled Brewer’s Yeast

The German biotech ProteinDistillery announces a partnership with the machine manufacturer NETZSCH to advance the purification process of Prew:tein — a biomass fermentation-derived protein that delivers functionality akin to egg whites.   ProteinDistillery recently secured €15 million to build an industrial-scale production facility in southern Germany. Claimed as Europe’s first protein-competence center, the plant will be able to produce tons of the vegan protein crafted from upcycled brewer’s yeast. NETZSCH will supply essential machinery to isolate Prew:tein from the biomass — a process essential to achieve a final product — and will also engage in co-development efforts. According to the startup,  the collaboration between the machine engineers and its team will also result in cutting-edge purification methods, driving innovation in the industry.  “This strategic partnership will not only …

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The Protein Brewery's flagship mycelium ingredient has received novel food approval in Singapore.

© The Protein Brewery

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

The Protein Brewery Receives Novel Food Regulatory Approval for Mycelium Protein in Singapore

Dutch fermentation specialist The Protein Brewery announces it has received regulatory approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for its flagship mycelium-derived ingredient Fermotein. The approval will enable the company to import, manufacture, and sell Fermotien or products containing it while expanding its operations in the country. Singapore has emerged as a hub for alternative proteins since the SFA set ambitious targets to produce 30% of the nation’s nutritional needs locally by 2030. As part of this strategy, the country seeks to incorporate safe, novel foods and ingredients that promise nutritional and sustainable benefits. The Finish biotech Solar Foods has also received approval in Singapore, where it recently debuted a chocolate bar made with an air-based protein called Solein. CEO Sue Garfitt comments: “The Protein Brewery …

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Image courtesy of Swan Neck Bio

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Swan Neck Bio Launches FlexCell for Fast and Affordable Fermentation Scaling

Swan Neck Bio, a spin-off from White Labs Copenhagen, a global leader in fermentation since 1995, has officially entered the market to unlock the biomanufacturing capacity of precision fermentation and biomass companies. Headquartered in Copenhagen, with supporting labs and production capabilities in the USA (California and North Carolina), Swan Neck Bio leverages a patented “breakthrough” technology developed by White Labs.  Called FlexCell, the technology allows companies to trial, validate, and scale microorganisms from the lab to 1,000 L more quickly and affordably. Fábio Faria-Oliveira, CSO of the company, shares: “Our dream is a world where there are no constraints to the innovative biosolutions our world urgently needs if we’re going to support a constantly growing population.”  Scaling without risks Troels Prahl, a microbiologist with over 20 …

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Koralo launches a new mycelium and microalgae fish fillet in South Korea

Image courtesy of Koralo

Fermentation

Koralo to Launch New F!sh in More Restaurants in Seoul Following 5,000L Production Milestone

Koralo, a German B2B alternative seafood startup operating a subsidiary in South Korea, announces a milestone in the production of its flagship product called ‘New F!sh’, a mycelium-based fish fillet that debuted in Seoul last December.  According to Koralo, it has successfully scaled its patented co-fermentation biomass process to 5,000 L on existing equipment manufacturers (OEM) with local partners in South Korea. The company’s fermentation process harnesses the nutritional properties of microalgae to feed mycelium, replicating the natural diet of fish. This innovative process enables the creation of fish-like tasting and nutrient-rich alternatives in a sustainable process, emitting less CO2 and using less water than plant proteins. Clean-label and nutritious fish  New F!sh is said to be rich in nutrients, including omega-3, complete protein, probiotics, and …

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Kynda debuts a new mycelium ingredient in vegan burgers crafted by The Ranging Pig Co.

© Image courtesy of Kynda

Fermentation

Kynda Debuts Zero-Waste Mycelium Ingredient in Burgers Crafted by The Raging Pig Co.

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 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.  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 …

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ProteinDistillery announces Seed financing of more than 15M € to fund further company growth and launch Europe’s first protein-competence center in Germany.

Image courtesy of ProteinDistillery

Fermentation

ProteinDistillery Secures Over €15M to Launch Europe’s First Prew:tein Competence Center

ProteinDistillery, a German biotech startup harnessing biomass fermentation to produce Prew:tein, has secured over €15 million in a seed round led by the Berlin-based Green Generation Fund with participation from a family office from Southern Germany. The fresh capital will support the company’s expansion and the launch of “Europe’s first protein-competence center in Germany” to produce the company’s flagship ingredient crafted from upcycled brewer’s yeast from Germany’s beer industry. “Looking ahead, we aim to set up an industrial-scale production facility with the capacity to produce several thousand tons of protein each year. Achieving this goal requires a carefully crafted financing strategy,” comments Marco Ries, co-founder and managing director of the startup. The protein of 20 million eggs ProteinDistillery, co-founded by Dr. Kurz, Christoph Pitter, Michael Baunach, …

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MicroHarvest pilot plant opening

MicroHarvest Lisbon team © MicroHarvest

Fermentation

MicroHarvest Becomes Food Fermentation Europe’s First Biomass Fermentation Member

German biotech MicroHarvest announces that it has become the first biomass fermentation company to join Food Fermentation Europe‘s efforts to create more sustainable food systems by unlocking the potential of fermentation-enabled food production. Food Fermentation Europe (FFE) was established in 2023 by Better Dairy, Formo, Imagindairy, Onego Bio, and Those Vegan Cowboys, which leverage precision fermentation to produce animal-free food products. Standing Ovation, Vivici, and Bon Vivant, have also joined the alliance. Precision fermentation involves modifying microorganisms to produce specific ingredients. In contrast, biomass fermentation uses the high protein content and rapid growth of microorganisms to “efficiently make highly scalable amounts of protein-rich foods,” explains MicroHarvest. Jevan Nagarajah, FFE President and CEO of Better Dairy, shared: “We are delighted to welcome MicroHarvest into our alliance as our first biomass fermentation member. Leveraging …

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Adamo Foods' fungi-based steak

© Adamo Foods

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

UK Government Invests £12M in Fermentation Hub for Alternative Proteins

The UK government has announced a £12 million investment in the Microbial Food Hub, a research centre focusing on fermentation-based foods to develop sustainable and innovative alternatives to animal products. Led by Dr. Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro at Imperial College London, the hub will explore technologies that use microorganisms, such as biomass fermentation to develop mycoproteins and precision fermentation to create bioidentical egg or dairy proteins and other ingredients. The hub will also explore traditional fermentation to improve the nutritional quality of plant-based foods. Experts from various universities, including the University of Reading, the University of Kent, the University of Aberystwyth, the University of Cambridge, and Rothamsted Research, will collaborate on the project along with industrial and food industry partners. The hub will receive the funds from …

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