Bioengineers and technology firms are increasingly turning to the ancient practice of fermentation to transform food industry by-products into nutritious and high-value culinary items, ranging from gourmet cheese to cocoa powder substitutes.
At Stanford University in California, bioengineer Vayu Hill-Maini and his lab have successfully created a cheese-like product using food waste, reports BBC.
The result is a substance that mirrors the taste and texture of Pecorino or Parmigiano. “You can grate it, it’s salty, it has a nice texture, it can be added to pasta,” said Hill-Maini, noting that fermentation helps these waste products become “delicious”.
Fermentation is a biological process in which organisms convert carbohydrates, such as starch or sugar, into substances like alcohol without the use of oxygen. While traditionally associated with baking and brewing, modern biotech tools are allowing companies to use a broader palette of “substrates”, the fermentation hosts, to save money and benefit the environment.
In the United Kingdom, the firm Fermtech is utilising fermentation to transform discarded cocoa shells into a cocoa powder substitute. Andy Clayton, CEO of Fermtech, described his team as “flavour miners,” explaining that microorganisms can break down the hard parts of the plant to make them bioavailable for humans while retaining intense chocolatey flavours that would otherwise be lost through composting or burning.
The integration of artificial intelligence is further accelerating these developments. Spain’s MOA Foodtech uses AI to determine the best combinations of microorganisms and substrates, such as the starch and fibre left over from pea protein production. According to CEO Bosco Emparanza, the company’s platform can now develop 300 bioprocesses per hour, compared to just one every two weeks when the firm launched.
Similarly, Germany’s MicroHarvest is converting molasses, a by-product of the sugar industry, into premium pet food. Katelijne Bekers, CEO and co-founder of MicroHarvest, described their “Vegcat” snack as possessing an umami taste without the bitterness common in some plant-based proteins.
In Asia, Singapore’s Mottainai Food Tech is repurposing okara, a soy pulp typically discarded during the production of tofu and soymilk, to create a meat substitute called “Jiro Meat” and a plant-based tuna. Daryl Pek, co-founder of the company, expressed hope that their fermentation platform would provide a wide range of ingredients within five years.
The scientific frontier of this movement is “precision fermentation,” which involves genetically engineering microorganisms like moulds to produce specific materials. This process can adjust the aroma, aesthetics, and digestibility of food. Hill-Maini actslained that fungi act as a “bioconversion machine,” breaking down indigestible molecules like cellulose and converting them into digestible proteins.
To ensure these lab-grown innovations appeal to consumers, the Stanford lab employs a chef-in-residence and an R&D culinary innovation kitchen. While the specific waste used for their Pecorino-style cheese remains a secret pending publication, the lab confirmed the use of Neurospora mould in the process.
