US food tech company The Better Meat Co. has received a $1.4 million grant from the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to produce its proprietary mycoprotein ingredient, Rhiza.
The company is one of seven to receive the funding as part of the DoD’s Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program (DBIMP), which encompasses five defense material priorities – food, fuel, fitness, fabrication, and firepower.
The Better Meat Co. is focused on transforming microscopic fungi through a fermentation process into a high-quality protein known as Rhiza mycoprotein. The company provides Rhiza to food manufacturers seeking sustainable protein alternatives.
The company said the grant from the DoD will be used to scale up production of Rhiza at the company’s Sacramento pilot plant, whose 9,000-liter fermentation system has successfully completed 100 harvests, leading to a significant cost reduction for the product.
The Better Meat Co says it can produce the mycoprotein from “seed to harvest” in just a few hours, reaching cost parity with commodity beef.
The company recently received a “no questions” letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in response to its assertion that Rhiza is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).
With regard to the grant, Paul Shapiro, CEO of The Better Meat Co., said, “The United States will be greatly advantaged by taking a leadership role in biomanufacturing, especially when it comes to efficient, innovative methods of food production.”
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Heidi Shyu, said: “President Biden called on the Department of Defense to assess how the agency can use biotechnology to make our supply chains more resilient, create jobs at home, and strengthen America’s economy. These major investments will help answer his charge to harness the full potential and power of biotechnology to advance national and economic security.”
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