Invasive algae is an issue all around the world. Completely different species of seaweed pose a menace to the oceanic atmosphere by smothering and killing coral, which has an influence on fish and different marine life.
Residing close to the ocean in Spain, Sònia Hurtado noticed the impact that the massive quantities of seaweed, often known as Rugulopteryx okamurae, was having on the Mediterranean. It began in 2015 when a contamination occurred within the south of France and unfold all around the shoreline.
After assembly María Cermeño, an professional in protein extraction from round meals supplies, the pair determined to rid the ocean of this pest and switch it into protein substances for meals. They based Poseidona, a Barcelona-based developer of sustainable meals expertise, which makes use of that invasive seaweed and algal side-streams — the waste that agricultural producers generate — to make proteins. On this case, it’s a soy protein various.
The corporate makes use of enzymatic hydrolysis, a molecular isolation course of usually used to recycle plastic and produce ethanol, and combines that with different applied sciences. Its secret sauce is the best way wherein that’s accomplished and the mixture of enzymes used to make sure a high-quality protein finish product. They’re in search of dietary elements and an general good performance of the protein, Hurtado stated.
“We also have a project ongoing specifically caring for the organoleptics of the product, ensuring it won’t have any ‘spoiled seaweed’ flavor and it will have a good color,” she instructed TechCrunch. “The best part of using the side-streams, besides the low or null cost, is they are already concentrated in protein. But it’s challenging at the same time to ensure the protein is in good shape and we extract it all properly.”
Neither Cermeño nor Hurtado are strangers to this space: Cermeño has a doctorate in meals biochemistry, and Hurtado was beforehand co-founder and chief scientific officer at Present Meals, which was beforehand often known as Kuleana. The corporate made plant-based seafood and was acquired by the Depraved Kitchen in 2023.
Poseidona just isn’t the one one utilizing side-streams to make meals. There’s additionally Berlin-based Pacifico Biolabs, which introduced $3.3 million in pre-seed funding final month for its fermentation course of to make various seafood.
Poseidona founders Sònia Hurtado (left) and Maria Cermeño. Picture Credit: Poseidona
What’s pushed side-streams extra into the general public realm is that meals scientists are recognizing the necessity to discover new protein sources, Hurtado stated. On the identical time, these involved with meals manufacturing’s impact on the atmosphere see plenty of waste and side-streams being produced.
“For example, in the skin of rotten tomatoes, there are a lot of good colors and molecules that we could use,” Hurtado stated. “We are becoming an overpopulated world, and at some point we need to make the most of all the resources that we have because we are going to achieve a point where there won’t be any more resources.”
Poseidona’s first product is a soy various protein focus. Firms usually must experiment with colours and flavors of the substances. With preliminary prototypes, nonetheless, Hurtado and Cermeño discovered that the focus had an umami, or mushroom-like, style and considerably of a reddish colour. Hurtado stated they have been going for extra of a colour just like soy, however for now, they’re going with the pure colour.
If every thing goes effectively, Hurtado expects to launch the focus on the finish of 2024. Serving to to maneuver the R&D alongside is a pre-seed funding spherical of €1.1 million ($1.19 million), led by Faber, one in every of Europe’s main enterprise capital funds specialised in local weather tech and the blue financial system. The spherical additionally consists of Dozen Investments, Sprout & About, ProVeg Worldwide and WA4STEAM (Ladies for STEAM).
In the meantime, there are particular authorities laws on how you can manipulate and gather the algae that Poseidona is utilizing for its merchandise. A decline within the fish inhabitants, resulting in much less work for fishermen, and an concept from Hurtado’s daughter impressed Hurtado and Cermeño to work on a program that will have fishermen gather seaweed as one other income stream. They plan to work on that within the coming years.
Poseidona additionally has plans to make use of other forms of invasive seaweeds — for instance, Sargassum — which Hurtado stated is affecting the Pacific Ocean.
“Our goal is to be able to use a variety of macroalgae species, using our proprietary methodology, to develop great proteins at an affordable cost that will be able to compete with the mainstream plant-based proteins of soy and pea protein, that currently have no competition at all,” Hurtado stated. “We’ll ultimately be able to be in cost parity with soy protein.”
