Over the next three years, the project will take ÄIO’s Flavoured Fat, a lipid-rich yeast biomass with umami taste and functional mouthfeel, from lab and pilot scale to validated industrial production, while generating the technical safety, and consumer data needed to bring the ingredient to market.
The project aims to close the gap between lab innovation and real-world food manufacturing. “Despite strong progress in alternative and plant-based proteins, the food industry still faces a critical gap in sustainable lipid ingredients that can complement these,” ÄIO said in a press statement. “Lab-scale alternatives often struggle to scale and meet industrial or regulatory requirements, leaving a gap in functional, nutritious, and climate-resilient lipid solutions. FERM-OIL addresses this challenge by bridging the gap between lab innovation and industrial food production.”