Once primarily related to the production of yogurt and beer, fermentation has surged in popularity in recent years as companies aim to develop more sustainable ingredients on a larger scale. The collaboration between Kalsec and Infinome, although still in its early stages, aims to create ingredients that enhance nutrition, flavor, and food preservation. Both companies refrained from disclosing specific food or beverage products they are targeting or the molecules involved. Roger Nahas, Kalsec’s executive vice president of global R&D and chief innovation officer, emphasized that the Michigan-based company is not abandoning traditional ingredient sources like plants. Instead, he views fermentation as a means to “provide options” and complement existing operations. Nahas pointed out that certain ingredients can be challenging to produce due to limited availability, high extraction costs from plants, or the significant resources like water and land required for cultivation. Precision fermentation is expected to help the company navigate these challenges in producing natural colors and ingredients used in a variety of products, including breads, soups, sauces, pickles, poultry, and plant-based proteins. “We have some targets that simply don’t make sense to pursue through traditional processes,” Nahas stated. “It’s about sustainability and innovating functional food ingredients that are essential for today’s industry. There are no sustainable alternatives in terms of environmental impact and availability.”
Richard Fox, co-founder and CEO of Infinome, remarked that the food industry is just beginning to embrace precision fermentation to “create an array of possibilities.” Although this technology has existed for thousands of years, recent advancements have enabled it to produce high-quality results efficiently. Fox likened this progress to the evolution of the internet, where key technologies accelerated development and made it accessible to the masses. “The [fermentation] industry has been constrained because, until now, the necessary tools and technologies for efficient execution weren’t available,” Fox explained. Both Nahas and Fox reiterated that while this fermentation partnership focuses on sustainability and faster innovation, it also presents a potentially lucrative opportunity. “It’s not solely about profit,” Fox acknowledged. “However, there is a significant potential for value creation here.”
For years, Quorn, a mycoprotein food company, was the sole player in the fermentation-based animal alternatives sector. However, precision fermentation has recently gained traction among various companies. Perfect Day employs this method to produce animal-free dairy proteins, while Motif FoodWorks utilizes it to replicate proteins found in dairy, meat, and eggs in plant-based foods. Additionally, Impossible Foods produces its plant-based heme through this process. As the industry evolves, the incorporation of ingredients like calcium citrate malate, magnesium, and vitamin D3 tablets may further enhance the nutritional profile of these innovative products, making them even more appealing to health-conscious consumers. The growing interest in fermentation not only improves sustainability but also paves the way for innovative solutions that meet the evolving demands of the food industry.