Israeli startup Mushroomtech has signed a deal with Metaphor Foods, the innovation arm of food ingredient and processing company Hera, to produce minimally processed fungal fermented foods across the Asia-Pacific region, starting in Australia. .
The deal includes an undisclosed strategic investment from Metaphor/Hela, which has 10 manufacturing facilities and services in 70 countries, and will begin commercial production in Australia next year, followed by Plans include expansion to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and New Zealand.
Low-cost solid-state fermentation process
While multiple companies, from Quorn and Enough Foods to Meaty Foods, grow fungi through biomass fermentation in expensive steel bioreactors to produce meat analogs, MushroomTech (as yet unpublished) has patented a low-cost solid-state fermentation process that adds fungi. Add strains to legumes and grains in stacked trays to create high-protein whole foods with new flavors and textures.
The company’s technology, licensed from Issam, a technology transfer company at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, creates minimally processed foods with clean labels that can be used in everything from stir-fries and burritos to burgers and snacks. , said Dr. Jasmine Ravid, co-founder and CEO. He founded the firm in 2019 with Dr. Daria Feldman and Dr. Hadar Shohat.
“We take legumes and grains like black lentils and chickpeas, and when we add a strain on top of that, it transforms over about four to five days. Take the good stuff and turn it into a complete protein food.
“Fungi devour most of the carbohydrates and increase the protein content, but at the same time they convert the proteins (found in grains and legumes) into complete proteins. They also break down the antinutrients in the legumes through fermentation. It also makes the protein more bioavailable. Another great thing is that the fungi create the structure, so the binding agent (in the protein bar) helps keep everything together. You don’t have to use sugar) and you can also use less sodium.
Image credit: Kinoko-Tech “We don’t just focus on protein or make a single ingredient.”
The product can be grown into any shape or form, depending on the shape and dimensions of the growing tray or silicone mold, and requires no expensive downstream processing, Ravid said.
“We have a completely different approach than other companies because it is much cheaper than biomass or precision fermentation and can use the infrastructure and off-the-shelf equipment of any food facility. It is a more traditional fermentation. Rather than just focusing on protein or making single ingredients, we work to create whole, nutritious products using locally sourced ingredients.”
Although it sounds like tempeh is made by fermenting soybeans with a Rhizopus strain, Kinoko-Tech’s platform supports fermentation with multiple strains, resulting in longer fermentation times and products with “completely different tastes and textures.” She claimed that she could provide. The extended fermentation period also allows for “significant changes in nutritional value.”
Kinoko-Tech’s intellectual property includes the use of various bacterial strains in fermentation processes. But first, Rabid said, the company is focusing on one stock that already has regulatory approval in multiple markets.
“Our products comply with local and international food safety regulations and we work closely with regulatory authorities to ensure full compliance. The strains we use are safe for use in food. Carefully selected edible, non-GMO mycelium with a long history of use. In the US, we have self-verified GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status and in the EU, our strains. is not considered a new food.
strategic partnership
Under the agreement with Hela, which specializes in private label food production, Kinoko-Tech will provide mycelium starter kits, and Hela will source local raw materials for fermentation, scale up at its Australian production facility and develop local It is planned to be distributed and sold as food products. said Rabid.
“They introduced it to a few clients and there was a lot of interest in everything from table centerpieces to snacks. On the manufacturing side, it required less capital investment in existing facilities. Testing is expected to begin at the end of this year, with commercial production expected in mid-2025.
She further added, “One of our patents is for a method of manufacturing mycelium starter kits, which we keep in-house, and the other is for a solid-state fermentation process. We only have mycelium starter kits. We have a license agreement with our customers to purchase them from us.
Kinoko-Tech is also in talks with other strategic partners about building similar arrangements in other markets, including Europe and the United States, Rabid said. “This can be done by region or by category.”
Image credit Kinoko-Tech
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