MycoTechnology launches mushroom fermentation service amid industry shortage

17 Oct 2023 --- Mushroom mycelial fermentation specialist MycoTechnology announces a Fermentation as a Service (FaaS) platform service for companies working with bioproducts as the biomanufacturing industry grapples with the low capacity of fermentation facilities.

“MycoTechnology is offering these services effective immediately. There is an urgent need for this capacity to keep innovation moving, and we have the assets and expertise to hit the ground running,” Bruno Dubois, executive VP of corporate business development at MycoTechnology, tells Nutrition Insight.

MycoTechnology states that FaaS will offer companies the tools and expertise necessary to expand their fermentation capabilities from 300 liters to 90,000 liters. It further promises to assist companies in addressing issues related to product quality, yield and cost management to transition to commercial production.

Scaling emerging businesses 
MycoTechnology’s FaaS platform can be have a positive impact for F&B innovators, notes the company, which has carried out extensive work in fermentation to create what it dubs as “game-changing products” across food and beverages.

“However, many start-ups do not have the expertise or production capacity to move beyond the lab bench, and we want to leverage our capabilities and experience to help facilitate this process and accelerate innovation in the industry,” Dubois continues. 

“This service can be used for a wide range of different bioproducts, enabling innovative solutions to come to market faster and more efficiently. Our service includes a high-end commercial facility with extensive certifications and the expertise required to help customers navigate the journey as they bring their products from lab to commercial scale.” 

The FaaS facility can  accommodate proteins, enzymes and probiotics, adhering to the US Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Part 117 “current good manufacturing practice” guidelines. It has further been certified with the Global Food Safety Initiative audit from the global supply chain assurance provider BRCGS. 

“Fermentation is a critical process that underpins producing a wide array of bioproducts. However, scaling up can be fraught with difficulties, and fierce competition for fermentation capacity is resulting in bottlenecks, delays and escalating costs,” Ranjan Patnaik, chief technology officer at MycoTechnology, states.

“These factors are creating major barriers to entry into the sector. But by opening up our facility to others, we aim to foster breakthroughs and accelerate innovation.” MycoTechnology’s FaaS platform aims to assist innovators in the food and beverage industry who are interested in fermentation.(Image Credit: MycoTechnology, Inc.) 

Mycelial fermentation 
In particular, FaaS capacity to create bioproducts is achieved through mushroom mycelia, the mushrooms’ underground root systems. This form of natural fermentation is said to increase the availability of food products and their sustainability. 

The US-based company produces its own bioproducts derived through mycelial fermentation. Its mushroom-based ClearIQ flavor offers modulation tools that decrease the taste of bitterness and off-note flavors, which offers broad spectrum application, such as in the formulation of high nutrient-density products instead of sugar or salt.  

Another of MycoTechnology’s bioproducts that illustrate mycelial fermentation is its FermentIQ plant protein. FermentIQ is created by applying the mycelial fermentation technique to a pea and rice protein blend, which is then naturally broken down and digested by the mycelia under the necessary conditions and through the right choice of mushrooms. 

The proprietary fermentation process that uses the mushroom mycelia to deliver plant proteins has been shown to enhance functionality, digestion and taste. 

A recent study by the University of Illinois and Cornell University, US, found that FermentIQ has a 99% absorption rate and that MycoTechnology’s patented fermentation process could be used to create proteins indistinguishable from those from animals.

A survey released this year and commissioned by the company reveals expanding consumer interest in diverse plant-based proteins beyond vegan and athletic users. 

MycoTechnology will be at Booth #3519 at SupplySide West to be held in Las Vegas, US, on 25 and 26 October.

By Milana Nikolova