The Better Meat Co. (BMC) is making waves in the sustainable food landscape with its newly awarded U.S. patent for an inventive method of creating shelf-stable food ingredients from filamentous fungi.
This patent, which encompasses the use of fungi species from the Neurospora and Aspergillus genera grown in a potato-based liquid medium, allows BMC to produce a high-protein and fiber-rich biomass known as Rhiza™ mycoprotein.
This versatile ingredient can be dried, sized, and rehydrated into various food products or blended with plant-based and animal ingredients to create more sustainable protein options. The patented process also lends itself to shaping this mycoprotein into nuggets, patties, or sausages, and enhances its appeal by mimicking flavours associated with chicken, beef, and pork.
This latest patent (US Pat. No. 12,274,283) marks the sixth addition to BMC’s existing mycelium patent portfolio, coinciding with the company’s most significant letter of intent (LOI) for its mycoprotein to date. Recent LOIs with customers project an impressive $13 million in forecasted annual revenue once BMC begins commercial-scale production at its contract manufacturing facility.
BMC has been at the forefront of fungi biomass fermentation, utilizing not only purified sugars but also innovative methods that leverage agricultural sidestreams, including those from the potato processing industry. This sustainable production approach further diminishes the environmental impact of BMC’s already efficient methods for protein production.
“The Better Meat Co. is an innovation factory that continues to generate major tech advancements to feed humanity with a much lighter footprint,” says CEO Paul Shapiro. “Turning potatoes into meat may seem like science fiction, but this patent proves it’s science fact.”
This new patent follows a notable chapter for BMC, as it was recently recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the world’s top greentech companies. The company has also gained regulatory approval for novel foods in Singapore and received Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) certification for its mycoprotein from both the US FDA and USDA. Notably, Rhiza™ mycoprotein is the only mycoprotein deemed safe and suitable by the USDA for use in animal meat.
In addition to securing a seven-figure partnership from the U.S. Department of Defense, BMC is now operating its demonstration-scale plant in continuous fermentation, significantly cutting production costs.
Rhiza™ mycoprotein’s benefits extend beyond its meat-like texture; it boasts more protein than eggs, more iron and zinc than beef, more fiber than oats, and more potassium than bananas. Unlike traditional meat, it contains no cholesterol and virtually no saturated fat.
