Gothenburg-based startup Mycorena has received €1.5M from the European Union for a collaborative project with Austrian startup Revo Foods. Mycorena develops innovative fungi technology to provide next-generation food ingredients. Revo™ Foods offers seafood made 100% out of plants, aiming at changing the way of consuming fish products. The grant will be used to develop new technologies and processes for producing mycoprotein optimised for 3D printing. This is a first-of-its-kind project that has the potential to commercialise whole-cut seafood options in the alternative protein space. The project aims to drive the commercialization of the first vegan seafood options of its kind.
Mycorena and Revo Foods announced their collaboration in October 2022 and have now received funding from the EU funded by Vinnova, FFG Austrian Research Promotion Agency, and Eurostars. The project aims to develop new technologies and processes to produce mycoprotein that is adapted for additive manufacturing methods of food. Together, the companies have applied for research grants to drive the project further and enable the commercialization of sustainable fish and shellfish products.
The collaboration has received a grant of SEK 15 million to run the project. The funding originates from Vinnova and Eurostars, the largest international funding program within the EU intended to enable research collaborations across borders. There is fierce competition for funding, which indicates that interest in bringing innovative mycoprotein solutions to market is high. Research within FoodTech is also prioritized. The funding follows the EU’s ‘From farm to table ‘ initiative, which focuses on innovation and sustainability in the food industry.
Despite the ingredient’s great potential, mycoprotein has not yet been optimized for food 3D printing. This means that the companies are the first to try to tailor mycoprotein to produce alternatives to whole fillet pieces. One of the main advantages of mycoprotein is its fibrous structure that can uniquely imitate the soft texture of fish fibers, something that is very difficult with current plant-based processing techniques. Printing materials with long fibers is complex but has the potential to create unique products and revolutionize the whole part market.
Therefore, Mycorena is now applying its expertise in the production of mushroom mycelium to improve the material and enable commercial production. The Swedish company has developed a process to treat the protein and tailor its structural properties. Thereby, they can reduce the risk of entanglement during the printing process and optimize the mycoprotein’s suitability for 3D printing. Mycorena has applied for a patent for the unique process that has the potential to change food 3D printing.
“At Mycorena, we constantly strive to be better. Therefore, it is a natural part of our process to continue to improve our technology to suit the needs of the next generation of food products. To receive this recognition from such a competitive and attractive initiative as Eurostars really underlines that the technology we develop is an important part of building a sustainable food system,” says Kristina Karlsson, R&D Manager at Mycorena.
Revo Foods has already revolutionized food 3D printing with its plant-based alternatives to salmon and tuna. The first products are currently sold in over 20 countries in Europe. The Austrian company’s ambition is to offer the best plant-based fish and shellfish products on the market, and in the future perhaps also mycelium-based products.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to explore the exciting new ingredient mycoprotein in our production. Mycorena is a leading company in the field and with our new process technology for whole fillet pieces, I believe we can take seafood options to a whole new level, as well as additive manufacturing methods in general,” says Niccolo Galizzi, Director of Product Development at Revo Foods.
Mycelium’s flesh-like properties enable endless conceivable possibilities for 3D printing and the project’s significant funding allows the collaborators to develop innovative products to drive the market forward. The unique solution of printable mycoprotein is a ground-breaking innovation and to take the project further, Mycorena and Revo Foods will test the material on a larger scale. The goal is to bring the technology to market to offer sustainable alternatives to fish and shellfish and thereby contribute to building a resilient food system.
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