Fungi-based components provider MycoTechnology is celebrating the invention of a candy protein derived from honey truffle.
Leveraging proprietary fermentation expertise, the corporate believes it might probably produce the ‘clear’ high-intensity pure sweetener with an anticipated cost-in-use aggressive with sugar.
A protein 1,500-2500 instances sweeter than sugar
The honey truffle is a member of the fungi kingdom. In any other case generally known as Mattirolomyces terfezoides, the honey truffle grows wild in Japanese Europe. Whereas truffle canines have been used within the preliminary exploration to seek out the truffle, they’re not required within the manufacturing course of.
As soon as the candy protein was recognized and remoted, MycoTechnology began to provide it utilizing fermentation expertise. “We use fermentation to breed the candy protein, which is a way more environment friendly, scalable, and eco-friendly strategy,” MycoTechnology CEO Alan Hahn instructed FoodNavigator.
The protein might be categorized as a non-nutritive, excessive depth sweetener. It has the identical variety of energy as different proteins, however as it’s between 1,500 and a pair of,500 instances sweeter than sugar, the kcal contribution per serving is negligible, MycoTechnology CTO Ranjan Patnaik added.
As as to whether the candy protein provides any of the opposite capabilities of sugar (apart from sweetness), reminiscent of bulking capabilities, Hahn defined the honey truffle sweetener capabilities ‘primarily as a sweetener’ and ‘solely brings an important candy style’.
This implies it’s also absent of any aftertaste, not like the favored non-nutritive sweetener stevia which incorporates a glycoside molecule that provides it a bitter aftertaste.
Commercialisation plans
The information comes amid hypothesis over the well being impacts of synthetic sweeteners. Days in the past, the Worldwide Company for Analysis on Most cancers (IARC) classed aspartame ‘presumably carcinogenic’. On the identical time, producers are underneath mounting stress to cut back sugar – the largest contributor to way of life illness – in foods and drinks.
For MycoTechnology, the fungi-derived sweetener discovery is critical. “This breakthrough ushers in a brand new period of fresh label sweeteners, revolutionising the way in which we create meals and drinks with out counting on conventional sugar or synthetic sweeteners,” mentioned Hahn.
The corporate believes the sweetener can be utilized in most varieties of meals and beverage merchandise and anticipates the protein to be labelled as ‘honey truffle sweetener’. “We’re at present engaged on a spread of functions,” famous CTO Patnaik.
Though honey truffles have been consumed for hundreds of years, MycoTechnology’s manufacturing technique is new. The corporate is already in search of regulatory approval in numerous markets.
“We’re at present optimising and scaling up the manufacturing course of whereas persevering with to work on new meals and beverage functions for our honey truffle sweetener,” we have been instructed.
“We count on commercialisation to start out in 2025/2026 in North America, adopted by Latin America, Asia, the Center East, and Europe.”
