Microbes from Yellowstone's hot springs make new meat substitute

Food scientists are using fermented microbes from the geothermal pools above the Yellowstone Caldera in Wyoming to create a new ingredient that soon will appear in meatless burgers and substitute dairy and as a protein powder. The microbe, dubbed Fy, contains a complete protein that developers believe can be mass-produced in labs, reducing the environmental impact of food production on a large scale. Unlike other alternative-protein products, Fy is a food all by itself and not a protein additive combined with other processed ingredients. Fy, short for its scientific name Fusarium str. yellowstonensis, is environmentally friendly and has all nine essential amino acids needed for human nutrition, said Thomas Jonas, CEO of Chicago-based Nature's Fynd, which will market the protein products. "Our facility has the ability to produce as many [hamburger substitutes] in a year as 16,000 acres of grazing land for raising cows," Jonas said. "We can use about 1 percent of the land required, generate about 1 percent of the greenhouse gases and use about one-10th the water." Fy is produced by fermentation, like sourdough bread or kombucha, by feeding sugar to the microbes on tray-based fermenting chambers. The result is a textured material with a bland taste that holds flavors from sweet to savory, said Jonas, a former French air force officer. Working with food developers, the company has experimented with meatless burgers, patties and sausages, as well as dairy-free cheese, dips and yogurt, according to the company...MORE