Our Technology
Myconeos uses unique methods (Patent Pending) to cross fungal strains naturally (sexually); something that was considered not possible before.
Our Biobank allows the development of strains designed to specifically control key elements for development of quality cheese products.
Fungi - The Science Story
How do we produce new strains?
We have used natural breeding techniques to sexually cross current Penicillium roqueforti cheese production strains. Our secret is partly in applying the right environmental conditions to induce sexual reproduction and allow us to successfully breed strains together We then select from the resulting offspring those with particularly favourable characteristics.
Our techniques are similar to those that have been used for centuries in traditional plant breeding. This is the first time this approach has been used with Penicillium roqueforti. We are using classical and modern DNA methods to identify mating partners and breed new strains.
We can use the technique with non-cheese production strains as well, offering exciting future prospects.
What is different about our strains?
Our new Penicillium roqueforti strains for blue cheese are unique. We know because we have bred them and now have over 250 strains and have tested them, in the laboratory, at cheese producers and at consumers, to select only those that have the desired properties for cheese taste and texture without the typical bitter notes associated with blue cheese cultures.
We have engaged closely with the Dairy industry to produce our first commercial strains that meet customer and consumer needs.
Penicillium roqueforti are characterized by different properties, such as colour, proteolytic (degradation of proteins) and lipolytic (degradation of fats) capacity. These determine the characteristics of the cheese at the end of the aging process.
Our unique manufacturing techniques
These ensure that we have only mould spores in our product with guaranteed high viability. We test and validate each batch we produce to deliver the highest quality product that is consistent in performance every time.
An example of our passion for quality and detail is that we felt the specification for foreign yeasts and moulds in the current products on the market, was not robust enough. We developed our own analytical method to ensure our products are free from contaminants.
Fungal strains
Fungal strains are used in the manufacture of cheese, fermented meats and other fermented foods such as soy sauce, mycoprotein and tempeh.
It is this fermentation process which provides the characteristic flavours, appearance and features of these foods, and the different strains used in the fermentation process will produce characteristics in the final product that are specific to them.
Today it is widely recognised that fungi may also hold solutions to problems such as natural colours due to their ability to produce secondary metabolites.
Today’s challenge
The strains that are sold today are from historic cell banks which reproduce asexually (making copies of themselves); and with each generation these strains are subject to genetic drift, changing their characteristics and over time this causes quality problems in manufacturing and act as a barrier to innovation.
These barriers, if not addressed, may well see some popular products as we know them today become “Extinct”, and limit our ability to develop products that reduce the impact of climate change.
Our technology
Our discovery is the technology to sexually breed asexual Penicillium species and control their colour pathway, which allows the creation of new targeted strains with beneficial characteristics which allow today's market needs to be met for the maturation and fermentation of food products.
We have started with fermentation strains in the Vegan, Dairy and Meat industries and are starting to work on developing the technology for Aspergillus, and Fusarium strains which are important for many fermented Asian products, and the development of mycoprotein substrates.
Benefits of natural crossing
We develop our new strains as ‘natural bio-factory’s’ which operate in a food process. Our strain technology produces strains that are specific to requirements, more robust and reliable, providing better process control.
This means that product quality improvements can be developed more quickly and these new solutions cause fewer manufacturing problems, delivering new flavours, colours, and textures to finished products.
In some markets such as natural colours and mycoprotein our strains will in future help reduce the planetary impact of agriculture and create on demand supply for industry.
Time for Natural Selection
Our Biobank allows the development of strains designed to specifically control key elements for development of quality cheese products.
Our unique Biobank of strains means we can select and then breed strains with required characteristics
Flavour
New flavours, reduction of undesirable flavours and control of salt.
Fermentation
Control through strain selection.
Bioremediation
Breakdown of waste, and contaminants in food and agriculture systems.
Colour
Produce new natural colour pigments in mould ripened/fermented foods.
Aroma
Optimise volatile production in mould ripened/fermented food systems.
Texture
Control breakdown of proteins and fats (lipids) in foods.
Environmental monitoring
Help manufacturers proactively manage their background production flora and fauna, reducing cost, and improving product quality.
Our Technology Roadmap
Mycoforti™ unique superior strains selected to eliminate bitterness traits for the mould-ripened blue cheese
Strains that produce higher salt flavours allowing a reduction of salt to a minimum in cheese
Strain breeding and licensing programme:
Strains breed to characteristic targets and licensed for partners
Fungi bio ingredients
NOW
SOON
Mycoforti Colours™ strains of Penicillium roqueforti with novel colours
Mycocontrol™ unique biocontrol agents for cheese rind
Mycoberti™ a development programme for new Penicillium camemberti fungal surface moulds used in dairy cheese and meat production
Fungal strains
FUTURE
Development of strains of Penicillium roqueforti and Penicillium camemberti to work on plant-based substrates and developmental plant-based dairy caseins
Creation of a rapid strain assessment model for new product development in dairy and plant-based cheese
Fungal bio factories
How our strains help the food industry
Diversity reduction
Widely used asexual industrial strains of moulds show relatively little diversity, creating a lack of innovation and impacting new product development.
Mutations
Mutations generated through asexual reproduction over time can result in undesirable characteristics such as bitterness developing in cheese and meat systems.
Legislation
Salt reduction legislation means an opportunity for ingredients that mimic salt.
Enzymatic
Enzymatic activity is difficult to control in fermentation of food products, often causing quality problems and leading to waste.
Manufacturers
Manufacturers struggle to control background flora and fauna in fermented food systems.
Chemical flavour
Flavours, and aromas are often chemically manufactured leaving a need for natural alternatives to meet consumer demand.
Strain research
Licensing
Fungal consultancy
Worldwide Services contact
Myconeos Ltd.
BioCity Nottingham
Pennyfoot Street
Nottingham NG1 1GF
info@myconeos.com
+44 (0) 115 912 4255