BMC Ingredients secures Health Canada clearance for Rhiza mycoprotein, expanding regulatory approvals

Health Canada has issued a Letter of No Objection for BMC Ingredients’ Rhiza mycoprotein, allowing the company’s whole-food mycelium ingredient to be sold in Canada for use in a range of food applications. The approval marks the latest regulatory milestone for the California-based company following earlier clearances in the United States and Singapore.

• Health Canada issued a Letter of No Objection for BMC Ingredients’ Rhiza mycoprotein, allowing its sale for use in multiple food categories.
• The approval followed previous regulatory clearances from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Singapore Food Agency.
• BMC said commercial-scale production is being expanded, with large commercial volumes expected during the second quarter of 2027.

The decision allows Rhiza mycelium to be used as an alternative protein and source of dietary fiber in meat, poultry, seafood, meat alternative and dairy analog products.

Health Canada's Letter of No Objection follows regulatory progress in other markets. In 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a "no questions" letter regarding BMC Ingredients' conclusion that its mycelium is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for its intended uses. The Singapore Food Agency has also authorized the ingredient for use in food.

BMC Ingredients produces Rhiza through fungal fermentation, creating a whole-food mycelium ingredient rather than a protein isolate. The company says the ingredient can help manufacturers improve the taste, texture and nutritional profile of a variety of food products while providing protein, fiber and naturally occurring minerals in a single ingredient.

According to the company, Rhiza contains more protein than eggs while providing a complete protein profile. It also contains more fiber than oats, more iron and zinc than beef, and more potassium than bananas.

"Health Canada’s Letter of No Objection is another important validation of Rhiza’s safety and commercial readiness," said Paul Shapiro, CEO of BMC Ingredients. "Rhiza is a new crop for humanity: a whole-food mycelium made by fungi fermentation. While this fungi has been consumed for centuries by traditional cultures, thanks to BMC, it’s now being farmed in a way that can help feed billions of people in a sustainable way."

The ingredient is non-GMO and is designed for use across a broad range of food applications. BMC says it offers an alternative to processed protein isolates by combining protein, fiber and functional properties in a minimally processed ingredient.

Earlier this year, the company expanded its portfolio with two ingredient formats tailored to different food applications. Rhiza Tex has been developed for meat and seafood products where texture is a priority, while Rhiza Pro is intended for products such as smoothies, baked goods and pasta where solubility, emulsification and other functional properties are important.

The latest Canadian approval adds another market where food manufacturers can incorporate the ingredient into commercial products as BMC continues to build its regulatory footprint.

The company said it is scaling up its fermentation platform and expects to have large commercial volumes of Rhiza available during the second quarter of 2027.