MycoTechnology Pairs Sweet Protein Adorvia Biotechnology’s Stevia to Replace Sugar

US food tech startup MycoTechnology has teamed up with Adorvia Biotechnology, pairing its honey truffle sweet protein with the latter’s Reb M stevia to offer manufacturers a new tool for sugar reduction.

With sugar reduction top of mind for consumers, and thus manufacturers, two alternative sweetener firms have joined forces to help develop better-tasting products and expand their ingredients’ reach.

Colorado-based MycoTechnology, known for its mycelium-derived sweet proteins, has partnered with Chinese biointelligent stevia manufacturer Adorvia Biotechnology to combine their technologies and address some of the most common barriers in sugar reduction.

Non-sugar sweeteners often carry off-notes like metallic or bitter flavours and a lingering aftertaste. Combining MycoTechnology’s honey truffle sweet protein, Zukora, with Adorvia’s proprietary Reb M stevia ingredient can help food producers overcome these sensory challenges.

“We are excited to collaborate with MycoTechnology and see global demand for their ingredients,” said Jeff Pei, general manager of Adorvia. “Pairing our specialised Reb M stevia with Zukora offers the industry a powerful new way to deliver the sweetness profile consumers want, without added calories or sugar.”

Way sweeter than sugar, without off-notes

MycoTechnology isolates the protein responsible for the sweetness in Hungarian honey truffles and leverages precision fermentation to produce it. The tech involves inserting DNA into microbes to teach them to produce specific compounds when fermented.

The startup uses culinary mushroom mycelium strains and pairs them with ideal substrate and growing conditions to maximise growth and set the mycelia on the desired metabolic pathway. The fermentation process takes place in highly specialised bioreactors, and the resulting compounds undergo a series of production techniques to create ingredients for commercial use.

Its truffle-based sweetener, available under the Zukora brand, is 2,500 times sweeter than sucrose – one teaspoon can replace 216 teaspoons of sugar – and has a competitive cost-in-use with sugar.

Zukora is said to have no off-notes, bitterness, or unpleasant aftertastes, and can be used in applications ranging from low- and no-sugar chocolates and protein bars to functional beverages and powdered supplements. It’s also a gut-friendly and fully digestible protein that is broken down in the gastrointestinal tract into common amino acids.

Reb M, meanwhile, is one of the sweetest components of the stevia plant. It’s 200 to 350 times sweeter than sugar, and does not have the bitter or liquorice-like aftertastes that other stevia extracts do. Adorvia says its version offers a rapid sweet onset and strong sweetness intensity.

MycoTechnology obtained self-determined Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for Zukora earlier this year, enabling it to sell the ingredient in the US. MycoTechnology has since notified the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its conclusion, in pursuit of a ‘no questions’ letter. Reb M already obtained the FDA letter in 2013, and has since been widely used in the sugar reduction space.

Together, the two sweeteners are designed to give formulators optimised, low- or no-calorie sweetener blends with a cleaner taste more akin to sugar than other alternatives. They can help product developers build sweetener systems that closely match sugar’s taste quality and sweetness curve.

Adorvia Biotechnology to distribute MycoTechnology’s flavour modifier in China

“By combining Zukora’s clean sweetness profile with Adorvia’s high-quality Reb M, we can deliver more sugar-like solutions to customers while expanding our reach from the US to China and other global markets,” said MycoTechnology CEO Jordi Ferre.

Their collaboration marries MycoTechnology’s fungal fermentation and taste modulation expertise with Adorvia’s advanced stevia technology, formulation capabilities, and market reach. Building on the product pairing, they have formalised a global commerical collaboration to help food and drink companies develop better-tasting reduced-sugar products.

As part of this, they will conduct joint go-to-market activities in North America, and Adorvia will become the exclusive China distributor for ClearIQ, a flavour modifier by MycoTechnology that can mitigate bitter and astringent notes in products (including the off-flavours of plant proteins) and enhance fruity and indulgent flavours.

“With ClearIQ, we can help food and beverage companies in China enhance desirable flavours, mitigate negative flavours such as bitterness and protein off-notes, and improve mouthfeel by reducing astringency,” said Pei.

ClearIQ has already secured GRAS approval from the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) in the US, as has MycoTechnology’s other flavour ingredient, ClearHT, which can intensify the perception of certain desirable flavours, extend cooling sensations, and reduce burnt, smoky or chemical notes.

The startup has raised $220M to date and operates an 86,000 sq ft facility in Aurora, Colorado. “With the launch of Zukora Honey Truffle Sweet Protein, MycoTechnology is expanding the toolkit for natural, non-artificial sugar reduction,” said Ferre. “Adorvia is an ideal partner to help accelerate this vision.”

The partnership comes amid a boom in sugar reduction solutions, with 64% of consumers looking to cut back on sugar globally. Growing GLP-1 use has accelerated this shift, and several biotech startups have made regulatory and commercial breakthroughs with sweet proteins over the last 12 months, including Oobli, Amai Proteins, and Pentasweet.