microTERRA has launched Flora, a duckweed-based ingredient to reduce sugar in F&B

© microTERRA

Ingredients

microTERRA Launches Super Sustainable Duckweed-Based Ingredient to Reduce Sugar in F&B

microTERRA, a Mexican startup creating plant-based functional ingredients for the food industry, has launched of a new development: Flora, a protein ingredient extracted from Lemna, an aquatic plant commonly known as duckweed.  microTERRA’s new ingredient enhances sweetness perception, reducing sugar in food and beverages without compromising taste and texture. “Flora helps improve people’s health by reducing the sugar content in their food while maintaining the same consumer experience,” shared Marissa Cuevas Flores, CEO and founder of microTERRA. The ingredient also offers other features depending on the application. It can enhance a particular flavor, unmask undesired ones, or improve the mouthfeel of products by providing better texture. According to the company, Flora enables F&B companies to produce healthier and more sustainable products, from ice cream to sugar-sweetened …

more

duckweed

Duckweed © sakhorn38 - stock.adobe.com

Market & Trends

Increase in Veganism Propels Demand For Duckweed, One of World’s Most Sustainable & Nutritious Plants

The aquatic plant duckweed, also known as lemna or the water lentil, is considered to be one of the most sustainable and nutrient-dense plants in the world. Duckweed protein is witnessing growth according to a new market report that states growing veganism is driving demand. The market value stands at $165.5M and is set to surpass $165M in the next decade. Plantible Foods Food producers currently using the highly sustainable protein notably include San Diego’s Plantible Foods, which we have been reporting about since it emerged in 2018. Speaking to vegconomist in December of 2018, Plantible’s Tony Martens and Maurits van de Ven talked about how they are developing “egg whites” from plants; “We are on a mission to create a truly sustainable global food …

more

©Plantible Foods

Investments & Finance

San Diego’s Plantible Secures $21.5M For Alt Meat & Dairy Created From One of World’s Most Sustainable Plant Proteins

Plantible Foods announces it has closed a $21.5 million Series A funding round led by Astanor Ventures, making a total raise of $27 million to date. The startup’s proprietary plant protein Rubi Protein™ harnesses lemna, an aquatic plant commonly known as duckweed which is considered to be one of the most sustainable and nutrient-dense plants in the world. “lemna contains one of the most valuable proteins in the world; a protein that behaves just like egg-whites” Plantible was founded in 2018 by Tony Martens and Maurits van de Ven with the goal of reshaping the world’s food supply chain. Speaking with vegconomist in a previous interview, the founders explained that duckweed imitates the characteristics of animal-based proteins: “Being considered one of the world’s most sustainable …

more

Rubi Protein - Plantible Foods

©Plantible Foods

Company News

Plantible Foods Secures $4.6 M for “World’s Most Sustainable Protein” Derived From Aquatic Duckweed

Plantible Foods announces $4.6 million in investment for a proprietary plant protein created by harnessing lemna, an aquatic plant commonly known as duckweed which is considered to be one of the most sustainable and nutrient-dense plants in the world. Lemna is reportedly 100 X more protein efficient than soy and 40 X more than peas.

more

Plantible Co Founders Tony Martens and Maurits van de Ven

© Plantible

Interviews

Plantible Foods: “We are on a Mission to Create a Truly Sustainable Global Food System”

California-based Plantible Foods is on the mission to revolutionise the food industry by developing the most functional and sustainable plant protein using lemna (also known as duckweed). Being 50,000 times more protein efficient than beef and even hundred times more protein efficient than soy, lemna has the potential to become the ultimate protein source.

more