Nosh Biofoods’ Mycoprotein for Single Ingredient, Clean-Label Alternatives to Reach Price Parity with Poultry in 2025 – vegconomist

Nosh Biofoods, a B2B biomass fermentation startup based in Germany, has developed a unique mycoprotein that allows manufacturers to produce single-ingredient meat and seafood alternatives with a clean label.

According to the startup, the new ingredient provides an umami taste with zero aftertaste and neutral color. This allows the production of 100% mycoprotein analogs without any additives or binders, with final products only needing color additives, spices for flavor, and oil.

“It is not only colour-neutral, it also has no off taste — an extremely important point in the context of the alternative protein space, where several protein sources have a strong off taste requiring masking agents, and therefore long ingredient lists,” the startup explained in conversation with Cultivated X. 

Long fibers and binding power

Additionally, besides being a source of protein, fibers, essential minerals, and vitamins, Nosh Bio’s mycelium ingredient is said to mimic the texture of meat. Moreover, the desired texture can be easily adjusted to suit different end products, such as a softer texture for chicken analogs or a harder texture for beef jerky without adding other ingredients.

“Our fibre length is in the 100x range longer than that of [our nearest competitor]. This means that from a texture perspective, we are able to provide a ‘bite’ much more reminiscent of meat,” the spokesperson said.

Another key differentiation point of the mycoprotein is its inherent binding functionalities, which expand its application range beyond alternative proteins. Ground into a powder or turned into a paste, the ingredient can replace chemical binders in baked products, ice cream, and confectionery, be used as a bulk ingredient to replace sugar, and even be used in pet food. 

Price competitive

Aware of the power of mycelium, Tim Fronzek and Felipe Lino founded Nosh Biofoods in 2021 to provide sustainable proteins at an affordable price and overcome the drawbacks (taste and texture) of current products to reach a broader audience.

Using a fungal strain (undisclosed) — exempt from EU novel food regulations —  that feeds on affordable agricultural waste instead of sugar, the company has successfully developed a proprietary fermentation platform that claims to be efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable.

The startup operates a pilot facility at Berliner Berg, producing between one and two tons of mycelial biomass monthly. In addition, a partner contract manufacturer in Italy can produce 50 tons per month.

“We are now able to produce at a price competitive to that of beef, and we will be competitive to poultry next year,” the spokesperson told us.

Meanwhile, set to establish a light-asset mode, the startup is gearing up its production capacity to produce 5000 tons annually in a retrofitted beer facility near Dresden that will be ready in early 2025.

Nosh Biofood’s recent collaborations with the renowned brand pasta brand Barilla and the biotech Ginkgo Bioworks to develop red meat analogs demonstrate the potential of the mycoprotein ingredient in alternative proteins and other foods.

“We also harness the versatility of our solutions for example with Barilla we cleaned the labels from products, by replacing e-number and unappealing additives with our natural, clean label and nutritious ingredient,” the spokesperson stated.