Paleo delivers a 'mammoth' feat with plant-based meat alternatives

Yesterday, the World International Property Organization published Paleo's patent application PCT/EP2021/087884, finally allowing Paleo to share details of its precision fermentation technology.

The company's animal-free heme platform will be available for manufacturers shortly.

Paleo believes that plant-based meat alternatives today are stuck in an 'uncanny valley' of tasting almost like meat... but not quite. Consumers are interested in trying meat and fish alternatives but are not convinced by the taste.

Paleo offers a compelling answer to this challenge, with its portfolio of animal-free heme proteins that are bio-identical to beef, chicken, pork, lamb, tuna (and even mammoth!).

Heme is responsible for the taste and color of meat, so it is important when it comes to resembling conventional meat products. Before cooking, heme will give meat alternatives a red color that turns to brown during cooking. Heme also offers superior nutritional value. The iron in heme is easier for the human body to absorb than iron in vegetables.

"When we set out to create the ultimate animal-free meat or fish experience, we quickly zeroed in on heme," commented Hermes Sanctorum, CEO. "Without exaggeration, we can say that we cracked the code of heme, allowing us to produce GMO-free heme that's bio-identical to the most popular meats and tuna - as well as mammoth."

In side-by-side tests, the difference between a plant-based burger using Paleo heme and a conventional plant-based burger is immediately clear. The burger with bio-identical beef heme smells like a burger, changes color when cooked like a burger and tastes like a beef burger - the other one just doesn't.

Early reactions from the market show the huge commercial appeal of Paleo's ingredients. Paleo offers food manufacturers important competitive advantages.

Consumers will appreciate the superior taste, aroma and nutritional value of meat and fish alternatives with Paleo heme, as well as the range of choices that the ingredients offer.

Choice is lacking in today's plant-based meat alternatives. With Paleo, consumers will be able to experience the difference between chicken nuggets and tuna sashimi.

Labelling is another advantage. Paleo's process allows food manufacturers to comply with GMO-free labelling in most markets. Paleo ingredients will live up to the standards of the most strictly regulated food markets in the world.

Meat or fish alternatives improved with Paleo heme can be introduced in the market in 2023. Paleo will market the heme as a food ingredient to be used in plant-based meat and fish alternatives.

Paleo is preparing market entry in the USA, Canada, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Strategic partnerships with contract manufacturers are in place to ramp-up production.

Paleo estimates that the first meat and fish alternatives with Paleo ingredients can be served to consumers by 2023.

The technology of fermentation has been well known for centuries and is similar to beer brewing, which makes production highly scalable. The fact that Paleo heme is cleanly separated from the yeast cells makes the production process faster and also more sustainable.

"If we want to meet the 2025 and 2030 forecasts for meat and fish substitutes, we need game-changing technology like Paleo’s," added Sanctorum. "Current technologies just can't deliver on the projections of the market for 2030 or even 2050. With Paleo, a true flexitarian lifestyle does become possible."

"Paleo heme production is only the beginning," said Andy de Jong. "Using our technology, we can also create other ingredients that are essential to the meat or fish experience and mouth feel, like fats. We're very excited about the possibilities that our technology offers."

Paleo has raised 2.5 million in seed funding to date and is now working with financial and strategic investors on a Series A round to bring its products to the market and to broaden its portfolio of products.

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