Manufacturers in the UK have long taken advantage of fermentation – a process which involves the chemical breakdown of a substance by microorganisms – to create popular products that include yoghurt, beer and wine.
However, in recent years the volume of the conversation around fermentation and fermented products has risen.
Various studies have posited that the consumption of fermented food and beverages is related to improved gut health and digestion, triggering an increase in demand among UK consumers for previously niche items such as sourdough bread, tempeh, miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and kefir.
Meanwhile, manufacturers have been exploring innovative technologies such as precision fermentation to create specific proteins and enzymes for cultured meat.
Sustainable proteins
There is a growing consensus among scientists that the current rate at which humans consume animal proteins is damaging to the environment.
Earlier this month Earthshift Global conducted an ISO-certified life cycle assessment (LCA) which found that, on average, plant-based meats alternatives have a significant lower environmental impact than beef (91%), pork (88%) and chicken (71%).
However, in order to boost the popularity of plant-based products, further innovation is still required. According to a 2023 survey by the Smart Protein project, 37% of UK adults admitted that the taste of plant-based product was the main reason they didn’t shop for them.
In an attempt to create better tasting meat alternatives, London-based technology firm Adamo Foods has developed a proprietary process that is based on “submerged mycelium fermentation”.
“Using unique parameters across media inputs and bioreactor parameters with our selected strain, we are producing mycelium biomass with ground-breaking textural properties for use in meat whole-cut alternatives,” Pierre Dupois, the founder and CEO of Adamo Foods, told Food Manufacture.
Thanks to fermentation, we can create a steak alternative from only five ingredients, all fully natural, and packed with protein, fibre and iron.
Pierre Dupois
He explained that this process would enable the firm to grow “long and dense mycelium fibres” that closely replicate the structure of animal muscle.
While this technology is patent-pending, Dupois is excited about its potential to create a diverse range of products that possess “superior nutritional benefits and cleaner labels”.
He elaborated: “Thanks to fermentation, we can create a steak alternative from only five ingredients, all fully natural, and packed with protein, fibre and iron. We rely on the fermented mycelium’s natural binding capabilities rather than adding artificial binders and stabilisers.”
German biotech firm MicroHarvest is also utilising fermentation to develop sustainable proteins.
Essentially, the process works by using fast-growing bacteria to convert agricultural side streams into natural and non-GMO protein at scale.
“This method allows us to produce single-cell proteins in just 24 hours, which is significantly faster than traditional methods,” explained Julian Schildknecht, MicroHarvest’s brand lead.
“The process is resource-efficient, utilising minimal water and land compared to plant or animal protein sources. This rapid, scalable production model enables us to meet the growing global demand for sustainable proteins in a way that is both environmentally responsible and economically viable.”
Touching on the increased use of fermentation methods within the food and drink industry, Schildknecht said that the process offers “several advantages”.
“Fermentation provides a way to produce nutritious proteins with great taste and with a lower environmental footprint, reducing dependency on land-intensive agriculture and livestock,” he added.
“Additionally, it enables consistency in nutritional profile, taste and quality, all while supporting food security and biodiversity by reducing reliance on conventional protein sources. As consumers increasingly seek sustainable and nutritious alternatives, fermentation-based protein solutions like ours can help meet this demand and contribute to a more resilient food system.”
As for the technology’s potential future applications, Schildknecht pointed to pet food and aquaculture as areas where fermentation could become more prevalent.
“We aim to develop a portfolio of protein ingredients tailored to various food categories, from savoury to sweet applications, as well as meat and dairy alternatives,” he continued.
“Beyond our immediate focus, the fermentation process has the versatility to be adapted for local, decentralised protein production, enhancing food security and reducing supply chain dependencies.”
Dupois agreed that the full potential of fermentation technology has not yet been realised.
“We are only scratching the surface when it comes to biomass fermentation and mycelium,” he said.
“We’re starting to see that there are much wider applications than just food, with interesting innovations emerging in packaging, waste recycling and construction.”
New age ingredients
Like MicroHarvest and Adamo Foods, Lallemand and Melt&Marble are keen to fully explore the diverse range of applications for ingredients created through fermentation. As natural resources dwindle, it is essential for the food industry to discover new ways to create flavours and texture that consumers love, and both firms agree that precision fermentation will play an important role in this process.
Based in Canada, Lallemand specialises in developing and producing microorganisms such as yeasts, bacteria and fungi for a wide range of sectors around the world, including food ingredients, animal nutrition, baking, brewing and biofuels.
“Fermentation is a versatile process that plays a crucial role in both the creation of finished products with health benefits and the production of ingredients for various food products,” Silvia Soragni, product and marketing manager at Lallemand, told Food Manufacture.
“Lallemand uses the art of fermentation to develop ingredients such as nutritional yeast and yeast extracts, contributing to the rich flavour complexity, texture and nutritional profile of food products.”
For example, Lallemand uses fermentation to produce baking enzymes which are then used in baking to improve dough stability, increase volume, enhance texture and extend shelf life.
“Advances in science and technology have made fermentation more controlled and precise,” Soragni continued.
“Precision fermentation allows for the sustainable production of specific compounds like vanillin, offering a consistent and eco-friendly alternative to traditional extraction methods of vanilla.”
Much like MicroHarvest, Lallemand pointed to the way in which fermentation can support sustainability and food security aims.
“The yeast fermentation process uses substrates like molasses – a by-product of the sugar industry – from beetroots,” explained Soragni.
“Furthermore, vinasses – a by-product of yeast production – can be repurposed as a natural fertiliser for beetroots and other crops, closing the loop and maximising efficiency in a circular economy.”
Precision fermentation also enables Lallemand to reduce its dependence on natural resources and synthetic chemicals: “Aroma ingredients like vanillin (the main flavour component of vanilla), and natural nootkatone, and valencene (prized for their citrusy aromas) are produced using microorganisms.”
Fermentation helps the development of innovative food and beverage products with enhanced sensory profiles, which will allow us to cater to evolving consumer preferences
Julian Schildknecht
Looking ahead, Schildknecht believes that precision fermentation can be used to create new flavour and aroma compounds that go beyond vanillin, nootkatone and valencene.
“Fermentation helps the development of innovative food and beverage products with enhanced sensory profiles, which will allow us to cater to evolving consumer preferences,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Swedish precision fermentation firm Melt&Marble is attempting to use precision fermentation to create the “next generation of sustainable designer fats”.
“Our platform allows us to rewire the metabolism of yeast to produce virtually any type of fat,” Melt&Marble chief business officer Thomas Creswell told Food Manufacture.
“This gives us precise control over the types of fatty acids produced, their saturation levels, and how they assemble into triglycerides. As a result, we can tailor the fat’s functionality, flavour and even nutritional profile.”
As it prepares to launch, Melt&Marble is aiming to meet the needs of food manufacturers across a wide range of applications.
“Our first products will be targeting categories including meat and dairy alternatives, bakery and confectionery,” Creswell said.
“In addition, our fats can be produced anywhere in the world using diverse feedstocks, which significantly reduces the biodiversity loss associated with plant-based fats typically sourced from tropical regions. This innovation also strengthens food security and helps stabilise volatile prices.”
Gut-friendly food
Interest in gut health has grown in recent years as our understanding of the human microbiome (the trillions of bacteria and microorganisms that live in our gut) improves.
In turn, food and drink manufacturers have looked to embrace this trend; and the number of firms using fermentation to develop ‘gut-friendly’ products has risen accordingly.
One example is Modern Baker, a biotech business based outside of Oxford that is using targeted fermentation processes to increase the level of prebiotic fibres present in bread.
Prebiotics act as food for human microflora and are used with the intention of improving the balance of these microorganisms.
Modern Baker collaborated with leading human biology scientists, research organisations and industrial partners over a six-year period prior to launching its Superloaf, a product which is going against the ‘clean label’ grain with its long list of ingredients. While some brands have been cutting back on what they add into their products, this loaf is packed full of nutritionally dense ingredients that it claims ‘tastes good’ and ‘does you good’ too.
“The key technology behind Superloaf is fermentation, but not used in the traditional way to leaven the bread, but as a transformative technology to unlock nutrients and amplify health benefits,” Ken Potts, head of technical and NPD at Modern Baker, explained.
Superloaf is now listed nationwide in Sainsbury’s and Morrisons stores, while Modern Baker has signed a three-year manufacturing and distribution deal with Hovis.
Speaking on the benefits of using fermentation during the production of Superloaf, Potts added: “It’s well known that fermentation can help slow down the rate of carbohydrate digestion and dramatically improve the bioavailability of micronutrients; less well known is that antimicrobial and anti-staling compounds can be created produced during fermentation – that gives Superloaf a long shelf-life without having to use artificial preservatives.”
Potts believes that moving forward fermented foods will continue to grow in popularity due to its health halo, with the process used in more and more categories.
He continued: “As well as the positive impacts fermentation has on gut health and Glycaemic Index, we are now working on developing its promising potential as a strategy for salt and sugar reduction.”
In addition to Superloaf, Modern Baker is working on an Innovate UK-funded project to apply its technology to categories including biscuits, cakes, breakfast cereals, pasta and ready meals. Potts believes that such work is essential, due to the potential for precision fermentation to be the “deepest, fastest, most consequential disruption in food and agricultural production since the first domestication of plants and animals ten thousand years ago”.
“Fermentation’s potential as a transformative platform technology for enhancing nutritional quality across the food system has been overshadowed by its association with artisanal products, and this powerful process will remain underutilised until its myriad benefits are formally recognised and incorporated into the Nutrient Profiling Model,” he concluded.
Whether or not precision fermentation lives up to Potts’ billing in the coming years or not, it is clear that this ancient process has truly gone mainstream. How it develops from here will be fascinating to watch.