UK Biotech Firm Myconeos Unlocks Genetic Breakthrough for Superior Vegan Brie and Camembert

This development, previously deemed impossible, allows Myconeos to create new and enhanced strains of Penicillium camemberti.

Professor Paul Dyer, CTO of Myconeos, stated that this discovery will enhance genetic diversity within the strain’s population, leading to a wider variety of cheese options with improved flavors, textures, and colors. More crucially, it enables the breeding of new strains tailored for vegan applications, thus bridging the quality gap in vegan dairy products and fermented meats.

Building on their success with Penicillium roqueforti, the strain used in blue cheeses like Roquefort, Stilton, and Gorgonzola, Myconeos has developed over 250 strains, launching Mycoforti, a novel range of Penicillium roqueforti cultures for dairy cheese. The company is now focused on breeding strains that deliver similar performance in plant-based dairy products.

Myconeos is collaborating with key industry players such as the German precision fermentation startup Formo and the UK plant food company VBites to identify and develop strains that meet both manufacturer and consumer demands. Founded in 2018 in Nottingham, Myconeos has received funding from Foodsparks and secured a £280K Innovate UK Smart Grant in 2023. Their technology platform has generated thousands of new fungal strains with potential applications in sustainability, health, agri-tech, plant science, and mycoremediation.

“We are particularly excited about breeding new strains for vegan applications and delivering products that bridge the product quality gap in vegan dairy,” Professor Dyer shared. “We are now investigating the genetics of the mating process to further enhance our breeding capabilities.”