Cultures, enzymes, yeast

Synthetic biology and the future of food. In conversation with ‘biology by design’ co Ginkgo Bioworks

09-May-2022 By Elaine Watson

When Ginkgo Bioworks’ head of codebase Dr Patrick Boyle was working on his doctoral research between 2006-12, he was “basically ordering DNA one gene at a time,” he recalls. “I think I ordered less than six total genes for my entire PhD.” Today, the Boston-based...

‘Proudly genetically modified…’ Moolec ‘molecular farming’ co gears up to launch meat proteins from GM crops

25-Apr-2022 By Elaine Watson

Moolec Science – which has developed a ‘molecular farming’ platform to produce plants that express animal proteins – is developing genetically engineered peas and beans containing bovine and porcine proteins that it claims can improve the taste, texture,...

‘Historic inflection point’ for cultivated meat: UPSIDE Foods closes $400m series C round to support commercial-scale plant with production capacity of tens of millions of pounds

21-Apr-2022 By Elaine Watson

Cultivated meat co UPSIDE Foods has closed a $400m series C round that brings its cumulative funding to $608m (giving it a valuation of >$1bn before it has launched a single product on the market), money that will help support a commercial-scale facility...

Kerry’s new liquid BC30 to expand into plant-based milks and more

21-Apr-2022 By Stephen Daniells

With an ever-expanding portfolio, Kerry Taste & Nutrition is looking to expand its ingredients into new formats, with its new liquid BC30 probiotic giving opportunities in plant-based milks and liquid milk.

Motif FoodWorks challenges validity of Impossible Foods patent as plant-based meat IP battle heats up

20-Apr-2022 By Elaine Watson

Motif FoodWorks has upped the ante in a high-stakes legal dispute with plant-based meat co Impossible Foods over meaty-tasting ‘heme’ ingredients by filing a petition with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to challenge the validity of a patent it argues...

IFIC: More Americans seek pro- and prebiotics, but confusion about sources abounds

20-Apr-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

More Americans are trying to consume probiotics and prebiotics than a year ago, but many are confused about the best sources for each and the relationship between them, fermentation and strain-specificity – hindering their goals, according to new data...

Feeding the gut microbiome webinar: ‘I look at products that say ‘contains probiotics’ and I'd say the vast majority of the time, they're incorrectly named'

06-Apr-2022 By Elaine Watson

The terms ‘prebiotic’ and ‘probiotic’ are appearing on a growing number of food & beverage brands, while another term – ‘postbiotic’ – is also starting to emerge. But food marketers should do their homework before slapping these terms on their wares,...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: From stress reducing to exercising boosting -- 4 opportunities for functional beverages

04-Apr-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ongoing strain from the pandemic and increasing financial pressure related to rising inflation are causing consumers to reprioritize their health and wellness goals, and by extension their food and beverage purchases, according to new research from the...

Wanda Fish Technologies teams up with Tufts University on cultivated seafood research

28-Mar-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Israeli food tech startup Wanda Fish Technologies has signed two agreements with Tufts University to explore the emerging field of cultivated seafood.

Former Chobani president Peter McGuinness to join Impossible Foods as CEO: 'This isn’t a business that needs fixing, I’m here to help turbo charge growth...'

17-Mar-2022 By Elaine Watson

Former Chobani president Peter McGuinness – who has spent the last several years running a dairy company, albeit one that has recently launched several plant-based products - is set to take the helm at Impossible Foods, a firm on a mission to “replace...

WATCH ON DEMAND: Feeding the gut microbiome: from pre-, pro-, and postbiotics to resistant starch

06-Mar-2022 By Elaine Watson

While scientists are still unlocking the secrets of the gut microbiome, consumers increasingly understand that what we feed the armies of microbes that line our digestive tracts may be intimately connected to our physical – and mental - wellbeing. So...

UN demands more diverse food production methods as report warns climate change risks are greater than thought

01-Mar-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Nearly a third of the world's crop fields will be unsuitable for food production by the end of this century unless carbon emissions are curbed, warns the latest instalment of the IPCC climate change report.

GUEST ARTICLE: Microbes all dressed up... with no place to go?

25-Feb-2022 By Mark Warner, founder, Warner Advisors

The draw of industrial biotechnology is compelling: beef without the cow, eggs without the chicken, almost every animal-based product that society has relied on for centuries having a non-animal replacement in the works. Maybe it’s just me, but with...

Calamari alternative developed from microbial fermentation: ‘If successful, we’ll look to launch in Europe’

17-Feb-2022 By Flora Southey

Aqua Cultured Foods has completed development of its first commercial product: a calamari alternative made from microbial fermentation.

Introducing the FoodNavigator-USA Positive Nutrition virtual summit: From feeding the gut microbiome to plotting the next 10 years in plant-based protein

17-Feb-2022 By Elaine Watson

What up-and-coming plant proteins are the most exciting? Chickpeas? Hemp? Canola? Barley? Pongamia? What do we really know about the best overall dietary pattern to support a healthy gut microbiome? And how do we educate consumers about the benefits...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Race to create next gen infant formula heats up with Helaina fundraise

14-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Originally designed to help babies grow, but not much else, traditional infant formula often falls far short of delivering the same benefits as breast milk, which also boosts immunity, contributes to cognitive development, is more easily digested, and...

ADM highlights top trends in rapidly-growing alternative protein category

10-Feb-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

As concerns about how to feed a growing global population expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 and consumer demand for health-forward food solutions build, ADM predicts that alternative proteins will soon transition from a niche alternative to center...

Designer proteins… made to order? Tierra Biosciences unlocks potential of cell-free protein synthesis with online ordering platform

02-Feb-2022 By Elaine Watson

Microbes from yeast to fungi are now routinely used to produce some ingredients more efficiently than plants or animals. But next-gen ‘cell-free’ processes that deploy some of the biomolecular machinery inside the cell wall, could slash R&D lead times...

From comforting to escapism and healthy to indulgent, the pandemic continues to influence flavors

16-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Fear and frustration related to the ongoing pandemic will continue to shape flavor preferences in 2022 with consumers gravitating to taste profiles that signal health benefits, hint at escape to far away lands, offer comfort or promise something new,...

Provectus Algae secures $11.4m to scale sustainable synthetic biology biomanufacturing platform

14-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

With an infusion of $11.4 million in pre-series A funding announced today, Australian startup Provectus Algae is ready to rapidly scale the commercial production capacity of its sustainable and “complementary” biomanufacturing platform that leverages...

Two Good Greek low-sugar yogurt brand is on fire, says Danone North America

10-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

Two Good Greek yogurt has become a $200m+ brand, and the #2 contributor to dollar growth in the total yogurt category, in its third year on the market, claims Danone North America.

‘There is still a lot of unresponsiveness or vague statements…’ Supply chain woes add to compliance challenge with bioengineered food disclosure standard

09-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

With the Jan. 1, 2022 deadline for compliance with the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) fast approaching, many companies are still struggling with compliance, even at this incredibly late stage, say industry sources.

Animal-free dairy a ‘massive opportunity’ says General Mills, which is in 'test and learn' mode with new brand Bold Cultr

06-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

While some recent foodtech innovations could be described as solutions in search of a problem, ‘animal-free’ dairy products featuring real whey and casein made without cows, give consumers – most of whom are unwilling to compromise at all, especially...

Rudi’s exec chairman: 'We have a very ambitious plan to grow the gluten-free category...'

29-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

When Hain Celestial acquired Boulder-based organic and gluten-free baking co Rudi’s in 2014, its 2013 revenues were reported as $60m. Six years later, after Hain sold the business to private equity backed* Irish baker Promise Gluten Free in May 2020,...

Plant-based ice cream 2.0? Eclipse Foods buoyed by ‘incredible’ early data from Whole Foods

28-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

Eclipse Foods – a plant-based brand on a mission to replicate the taste and functionality of conventional dairy rather than building a brand around ‘hero’ ingredients such as oat, almond or coconut – says early data from Whole Foods suggests its strategy...

WATCH: Nutrasource CEO on probiotics, clinical trials and the ‘who cares?’ factor: ‘So you’ve changed the gut microbiome… but what’s the benefit?

18-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

While scientists are still unlocking the secrets of the microbiome, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the billions of bugs in our bodies are intimately connected to our health and wellbeing. But how far have we come since Jamie Lee Curtis first introduced...

Sustainable, ‘boring’ protein, made to order: The Protein Brewery looks to US market with fermented fungi protein

14-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

When it comes to proteins, says Christian Koolloos, chief business development officer at Dutch startup The Protein Brewery, boring is good. In fact, the blander the better: “Fermotein [his firm’s fermented fungi protein] is extremely boring in its profile...

ADM to acquire Deerland

02-Nov-2021 By Hank Schultz

Global food ingredients giant ADM announced today it will acquire Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes, significantly expanding its capacity in microbiome-targeted ingredients.

Shiru raises $17m to launch bio-fermentation platform producing label-friendly alternatives to everything from methylcellulose to gelatin

27-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

Shiru - an Emeryville, CA-based startup producing proteins via microbial fermentation to create label-friendly alternatives to everything from methylcellulose to gelatin and casein - has closed a $17m Series A round* led by S2G Ventures that will help...

Change Foods founder talks animal-free dairy formulation: ‘Within a few months I was getting calls from large dairy companies’

21-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

San Francisco-based Change Foods – one of a small group of startups making 'animal-free' dairy ingredients using microbes instead of cows - plans to launch its first consumer products (cheese) in 2023. FoodNavigator-USA got into the weeds with...

NotCo founder: ‘Why are we doing a ‘barista’ version of plant-based milk? There’s no ‘barista version’ of dairy milk’

21-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

If plant-based dairy is going to go truly mainstream, brands need to reach consumers that right now, are not engaging in the category at all, says Santiago-based NotCo, which says most people don’t want to buy three different plant-based milks for different...

Humm Kombucha secures $8m in funding to fuel expansion plans

20-Oct-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Humm Kombucha has secured an $8m line of credit from Gerber Finance to support its next chapter of growth and future expansion plans.

‘Our food culture is changing at a rapid pace…’ Hormel Foods teams up with The Better Meat Co to develop meat alternatives featuring Rhiza mycoprotein

06-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

Hormel Foods is dipping its toes further into the meat alternatives space via its venturing arm 199 Ventures, which is teaming up with The Better Meat Co. to bring new products to market featuring the latter’s Rhiza mycoprotein ingredient, a filamentous...

Kingdom Supercultures raises $25m to expand Non GMO suite of microbes to unlock new flavors, textures, and functionalities in food & beverage

05-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

Kingdom Supercultures – a Brooklyn-based startup specializing in building novel combinations of microbial cultures it claims can improve the flavor, texture and functional properties of everything from plant-based dairy products to kombucha - has raised...

Honey... without bees? MeliBio unveils first product at tasting event, gears up for commercial launch

01-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

MeliBio, a startup developing honey without bees, has unveiled its first products at a tasting in Berkeley, California, as it gears up for a soft launch supplying food service and CPG companies with its animal-free/vegan honey as a branded ingredient...

TurtleTree opens R&D center in California accelerating path to market for cell-based milk

01-Oct-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

TurtleTree, a biotech company using cell-based technologies to create dairy ingredients, has opened a new US-based research facility in Sacramento, California, accelerating its commercialization plans to bring its cell-based milk and dairy ingredients...

GALLERY: Alternative protein startups to watch at the GFI Good Food Conference

29-Sep-2021 By Elaine Watson

From 'whole cuts' of seafood from fungi, to plant-based lamb, to highly functional proteins from brewers' spent grains, here's a quick snapshot of some of the alternative protein startups participating in a virtual pitch slam at last...

Consumer confidence in grocery stores declines as COVID-19 financial concerns linger

27-Sep-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

More US shoppers report feeling unhappy with how grocery stores are handling the COVID-19 crisis now, including a prominent concern around the cost and price of their groceries, than earlier this year, according to dunnhumby in its latest Consumer Pulse...

Good Food Institute calls for massive public funding into alternative proteins R&D

24-Sep-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Addressing the lack of public investment in the alternative proteins space, the Good Food Institute (GFI) is awarding nearly $5m to 22 research projects that the organization says will get closer to unlocking “the holy grail” of alternative proteins:...

'Our priority is innovation...' Sophie’s Kitchen raises $5.6m to expand plant-based seafood category

17-Sep-2021 By Elaine Watson

Sophie’s Kitchen has secured a $5.6m investment led by venture capital firm Billy Goat Brands to help it expand its plant-based seafood empire, which now extends into multiple categories including ‘toona,’ crab cakes, fish filets, smoked salmon, and shrimp....

Introducing the FoodNavigator-USA broadcast series: Disrupting the meat and dairy case -- from plant-based bacon to ‘real’ cheese (minus the cows)

16-Sep-2021 By Elaine Watson

Interested in meat, dairy, and seafood alternatives? Is all the hype - and the wads of cash - truly justified? Are some formulations (think plant-based cheese and yogurt) really ready for prime time? Are the purchase drivers for plant-based seafood the...

Givaudan, Bühler and Migros launch tie-up to accelerate cultured meat sector

16-Sep-2021 By Katy Askew

Givaudan, Bühler and Migros have formed a new company, The Cultured Food Innovation Hub, with the aim of accelerating the development and market penetration of cellular agriculture.

ENOUGH breaks ground on ‘world’s largest’ fermented protein factory

16-Sep-2021 By Katy Askew

Food tech company ENOUGH broke ground on what it says will be the ‘world’s largest’ fermented protein facility today (16 September). When fully operational the site will have the capacity to produce 50,000 tonnes of mycoprotein ingredient ABUNDA per annum.

Impossible Chicken Nuggets to hit retail and foodservice markets this month as plant-based chicken category heats up

07-Sep-2021 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Foods will start rolling out plant-based Impossible Chicken nuggets to the frozen aisle at grocery chains including Walmart, Safeway and Kroger later this month, with a view to reaching 10,000 stores by the year end, while restaurants nationwide...

Fake it till you make it? Meat alternatives shown to promote ‘positive changes’ in gut microbiome in latest ‘exciting’ study

06-Sep-2021 By Oliver Morrison

Who said meat imitations can’t be healthy? New research rejects the notion fake meats should be perceived as low-quality, ultra-processed foods.

Biological barcodes: In conversation with Aanika Biosciences... 'all the real complexities come in the first and second mile'

30-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Thanks to blockchain and other advances in traceability, it’s tempting to think that in the event of a problem (foodborne illness, adulteration, contamination, child labor question marks), we can trace everything in the food supply chain back to its source...

Impossible Sausage hits retail market: ‘Everything we’ve brought to market in retail so far has been wildly well received’

11-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Sausage made from plants – a soy-based ground sausage product in savory and spicy variants – will make its retail debut this month and should be in 13,000 stores by the year end, says Impossible Foods, which says retailers have been encouraged...

‘No brand to date has really nailed Greek in plant-based yogurt, until now….’ Danone unveils Silk Greek-style

10-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Danone is hoping to make a splash in the small but rapidly growing plant-based yogurt segment with a Greek-style product under its Silk brand boasting 10g of protein from peas and a thick, creamy texture from coconut cream it claims will be a game changer...

‘Milk plants, hug cows…’ Miyoko’s Creamery raises $52m, develops industry-first: plant-based cottage cheese

04-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based dairy brand Miyoko’s Creamery has raised $52m in a series C round led by PowerPlant Partners ($40m) that will help fund marketing and innovation at the firm, which generated a 70% increase in revenues in 2020, and is gearing up to launch an...

‘Timely, interesting and important’: Study links gut microbe metabolism to longevity

02-Aug-2021 By Stephen Daniells

Unique bile acids produced by a distinct set of gut microbes may contribute to longevity by inhibiting the growth of gut pathogens, says a new study with 160 people over 100 years old in Japan.