Burgers made from fish food on the way as Singapore food tech start-up develops microalgae meat substitute
- Sophie’s Bionutrients uses microalgae to develop 100 per cent sustainable alternative protein products
- Its protein flour concentrate can be used in everything from meat analogues to drinks and requires a fraction of the inputs needed to grow soy and other legumes
Plant-based meat alternatives – from burger patties and sausages to minced pork and even shrimp – are an increasingly common sight on supermarket shelves and dining tables across Asia. Indeed, a recent study projects that the market for meat analogues in Asia-Pacific will grow by 25 per cent over the next five years.
Most of these products are derived from mainstream ingredients such as soy, wheat, peas and gluten – and for good reason. For instance, the Impossible Burger is chiefly made from soy protein concentrate, while Omnipork’s pork analogues are produced using a blend of peas, soy, shiitake mushrooms and rice.
“Such crops carry the advantages of a more mature supply chain and decades of knowledge on how to utilise them for alternative protein purposes,” explains Mirte Gosker, acting managing director of The Good Food Institute Asia Pacific.
In contrast, Singapore food tech start-up Sophie’s Bionutrients is banking on an entirely different ingredient: microalgae – single-cell microorganisms found in fresh water and salt water.
Thousands of microalgae strains exist, and some already feature in our diets. For example, spirulina is often added to health drinks because of its purported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
However, Sophie’s Bionutrients may be the first company in the world to develop a plant-based protein flour from microalgae, which it claims can be used for a wide range of food applications – from making meat analogues to drinks.