MycoTechnology’s Honey Truffle Sweetener on Track to Revolutionize Sugar Reduction – vegconomist
Mycelial fermentation leader MycoTechnology announces significant progress in scaling production and ensuring the safety of the first-ever honey truffle sweetener.
The new product, made from a sweet protein found in honey truffles discovered only a year ago, is described as a game-changing alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners. It has a clean taste profile and is 1000 to 2500 times sweeter than sucrose.
“This progress is a reflection of Myco’s unique ability to integrate discovery with commercial development”
Leveraging precision fermentation, MycoTechnology claims to have successfully scaled production from a lab bench to 3000 L tanks. Moreover, according to the announcement, the company’s team is improving production and developing efficient strains to make the honey truffle sweetener economically competitive with similar products.
Ranjan Patnaik, MycoTechnology’s CTO, comments, “Our team has achieved remarkable results, exceeding initial expectations for speed of scale-up, mechanistic understanding of the protein, sensory characterization, and applications development with industry partners.
“This progress is a reflection of Myco’s unique ability to integrate discovery with commercial development to quickly create innovative, impactful solutions from nature.”
Safe sweetness without sugar
Recent safety evaluations have confirmed the product’s safety and digestibility, demonstrating that the protein is non-allergenic, non-toxic, and fully digestible by the human GI tract.
Moreover, in silico analysis has indicated that the molecule has minimal potential for adverse effects beyond sweetness, as it breaks down into amino acids commonly found in other protein sources like chicken.
MycoTechnology says it is working on regulatory submissions in key global jurisdictions. With a worldwide patent portfolio and interest from major industry partners, the company says it is poised to impact the future of sweeteners and sugar reduction with its game-changing product.
Fungi and fermentation
MycoTechnology, founded in 2013 in Aurora, Colorado, utilizes advanced fermentation technology to produce innovative mushroom-based ingredients. With $220 million in funding from various investors, the company has launched an 86,000 sq ft facility and offers products like FermentIQ plant proteins and the mycelium-derived flavor modulator ClearIQ — the star ingredient of the sugar-free sweet dark chocolate bar Macalat.
Sue Potter, Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs at the company, shares: “Following global best practices in partnership with world-class industry experts, our findings suggest that honey truffle sweetener is likely to be an ideal general-purpose sweetener for foods and beverages. We’re confident in the results we’ve received so far, and we’re on track for regulatory submissions in key global jurisdictions.”
