Food Tech Start Up Secures Patent For Processing Potato Waste Into Mycoprotein
Image Source: The Better Meat Co
The Better Meat Co, a Sacramento based food tech start up, just received their sixth patent in the U.S. for a process that produces mycoprotein from potato waste. The company uses pieces of waste from potato processing, whether they didn't make the cut for french fries or they didn't meet processing standards. Better Meat Co uses this potato waste to grow a high protein biomass of mycelium. The ingredient they produce is higher in protein than eggs. Securing this patent added to four other agreements from meat producers around the world, and these deals are expected to bring the company $13 million a year in revenue.
Avocado Producer And Tech Company Partner To Turn Avocados Into Sustainable Dyes
Image Source: Dragana Gordic
Westfalia Fruit, a global avocado producer, has formed a partnership with U.K.-based Efficiency Technologies to turn avocado skins and pits into sustainable dyes. The otherwise-wasted components of the avocado contain a pigment called perseorangin, which can be transformed into dyes that vary in color from brown to red to yellow. The dyeing method could prove more sustainable than current options across multiple industries. Westfalia also turns avocados into cosmetic exfoliants and starches for paper and packaging. “By transforming what was once considered a byproduct into a valuable resource, we're creating sustainable solutions that benefit multiple industries,” said Andrew Mitchell, head of group innovation at Westfalia Fruits.
Lab-Grown Animal Fat Enters The Plant-Based Meat Market
Image Source: Matt Chase
Plant-based meat has taken a hit recently. Fast-food chains like Burger King, Dunkin’, and McDonald’s have been slow to adopt it, consumers have softened on buying it, and Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods each announced layoffs. Could lab-grown animal fat improve the taste and texture of plant-based meat products and change the game? Will vegetarians and vegans eat plant-based meats that include lab-grown animal fat? These questions and more explored in this deep dive from intrepid reporter Yasmin Tayag.
Stockholders Sue Costco Over Alleged Mistreatment Of Chickens
Image Source: Tim Boyle/Getty Images
A Costco rotisserie chicken costs $4.99, a ridiculously low price made possible by slashing production costs. That means growing chickens so fast and so fat that they can’t stand up to reach food or water, according to two Costco shareholders allegations. Their lawsuit claims that animal mistreatment is "an integral part of the company's poultry production strategy and its business model," violating Nebraska and Iowa livestock welfare laws. We shall see if the judge agrees.
Lab-Grown Foie Gras Receives Financial Backing From French Government
Image Source: Cyril Marcilhacy/Bloomberg
One of the most controversial foods, foie gras is banned in several countries and US cities like New York and Chicago. To revive the market, the public investment bank Bpifrance (backed by the French government) has chipped into a $10 million development fund for a kinder, gentler foie gras. Introduced by startup company Gourmey, the product is made from duck stem cells grown in bioreactor tanks. Some tasters say it's a fair match for the real thing. You can taste for yourself in a little over a year when Gourmey's faux gras hits the market.
ReGrained Flour Named World's First Certified Upcycled Food
Image Source: ReGrained/Upcycled Food Association
Earlier this year, the Upcycled Food Association (UFA) established certification standards to help reduce global food waste. This month, UFA certified its first food product, SuperGrain+ flour made by baked goods company ReGrained. The flour is recycled from spent grain produced by breweries and is high in protein, dietary fiber, and prebiotics. The US beer industry generates more than 20 billion pounds of spent grain per year, and according to ReGrained, every pound of its upcycled flour prevents the carbon dioxide equivalent of burning 1 pound of coal and saves more than 300 gallons of water. Does the flour have an aftertaste of beer? Find out by trying ReGrained's line of crunchy snacks. SuperGrain+ flour is the main ingredient.
