A COMPANY that produces meat alternatives from potatoes has received its sixth US patent.
The US patent is the sixth one issued to The Better Meat Co (BMC) and covers the process of using species within filamentous fungi – the Neurospora genus and Aspergillus genus – grown in a potato-based liquid medium to create a high-protein, fiber-rich biomass.
The resulting ingredient, known as Rhiza™ mycoprotein, can be dried, sized, and hydrated into food products or blended with plant or animal ingredients to create more sustainable protein products. The patent also covers downstream applications such as shaping into nuggets, patties, or sausages, and combining with natural flavors to mimic chicken, beef, or pork.
The company recently announced its largest-yet letter of intent (LOI) for mycoprotein which is produced on a commercial scale at its contract manufacturing facility based in West Sacramento, California.
BMC has pioneered methods of fungi biomass fermentation based not only on purified sugars, but also methods relying on agricultural sidestreams as the sole carbon source, including from the potato processing industry.
The company’s CEO Paul Shapiro said the new patent strengthens BMC’s position in fermentation technology and underscores the importance of its partnership with potato processing industry leaders.
“The Better Meat Co is an innovation factory that continues generating major tech advancements that will help feed humanity with a much lighter footprint,” he said. “Turning potatoes into meat may seem like science fiction, but this patent shows it’s science fact and that our tech can scale to help solve some of the world’s most pressing food security challenges.”
TIME Magazine recently named the company as one of the world’s top greentech companies. BMC also received novel foods regulatory approval in Singapore, following a similar United States GRAS regulatory approval for BMC’s mycoprotein from both the US FDA and USDA.
In addition to its meat-like texture, the company states that Rhiza™ mycoprotein has more protein than eggs, more iron and zinc than beef, more fibre than oats, and more potassium than bananas. Unlike animal-based meat, Rhiza™ mycoprotein has no cholesterol, and virtually no saturated fat.
Photo: Better Meat Company (BMC)
