UK-based food-tech company Myco is offering its fungi-based protein ingredient to manufacturers for use in hybrid meat products.

Hybrid products contain both plant-based and animal-derived protein, which can provide a more sustainable and affordable option than traditional, fully animal-based meat products.

David Wood, Myco’s CEO, believes that Myco’s ‘Hooba’ protein – which is made from oyster mushrooms – provides a ‘revolutionary’ option for hybrid and blended meat products, where other ingredients have fallen short in taste and texture.

“We’ve used Hooba to make 50/50 burgers and the results are staggering,” Wood said. “Not only do they hold their shape perfectly, but there’s no difference in taste. This is a huge moment, as it now gives food manufacturers a chance to create products that are more sustainable, more cost-effective and don’t sacrifice taste or quality.”

By using Hooba in a 50/50 blend, manufacturers can create products such as mince and burgers that could make it easier for the public to swap out meat, Wood believes.

“That will definitely appeal to carnivores, while the economic and green advantages of a 50/50 model make it, in many ways, a no-brainer for food firms to embrace,” he added.

Hooba is produced at a vertical farming site in the UK, with every stage of development carried out under one roof. Myco’s founder, John Shepherd, said that the firm has always believed the way of solving the climate crisis is to ‘work with the meat industry, not against it’.

He commented: “The way forward isn’t abstinence, it is about reduction. We’ve always said we don’t want to turn the world vegan. Our goal with Hooba is to create a product that makes swapping out meat so easy you don’t even have to notice it, and that’s why this breakthrough could be a real game-changer.”

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