Nosh.bio Collaborates with Ginkgo Bioworks to Improve Flavor of Fungal Meat Alternatives

In a bid to advance the development of animal-free food products with improved meaty taste, Nosh.bio, a German startup specializing in functional ingredients derived from fungal biomass, and Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), a leader in cell programming and biosecurity, have announced a new partnership. The collaboration will harness the power of Ginkgo Strain Optimization Services to identify protein-producing fungal strains that offer superior sensorial profiles. Using Ginkgo’s encapsulated screening capabilities, the program aims to create a mycoprotein that imparts a rich, savory, and natural meaty flavor when incorporated into food products.

In the pursuit of animal-free protein, developers have encountered challenges in crafting alternative protein products that are not only delicious but also less processed and cost-effective. Nosh.bio has emerged as a pioneer in this domain, pioneering a technological platform that harnesses fungal biomass to produce single-ingredient animal-free meat alternatives from mycoprotein for human consumption.

Of all the meat alternatives, replicating the taste and texture of red meat, such as a succulent steak, presents the most significant hurdle. Current alternatives often involve numerous ingredients and chemical additives. Nosh.bio aspires to utilize its highly efficient, sustainable, and economical production process to create a single-ingredient, animal-free product that not only mirrors the taste and texture of red meat but also offers superior health benefits compared to traditional animal products.

In pursuit of this goal, Ginkgo Bioworks aims to identify a fungal strain with naturally higher protein content, specifically targeting the proteins responsible for delivering the rich meaty taste, juiciness, and appealing color sought by Nosh.bio. Ginkgo plans to initiate a mutagenesis and screening campaign leveraging its proprietary encapsulation and screening technology known as EncapS. This technology enables the rapid examination of up to one million strain variants in a single operation, enabling the selection of the most promising candidates for further development. By utilizing an enhanced strain, Nosh.bio anticipates creating a mycoprotein that excels in taste, appearance, performance, and nutritional value.

Kalpesh Parekh, Vice President of Business Development at Ginkgo Bioworks, emphasized the importance of leveraging proprietary encapsulation and screening technology to provide valuable insights that empower partners like Nosh.bio to optimize their research and development endeavors, ultimately delivering enhanced products that rival the taste of real meat.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.