Plant-Based & Vegan Active Updated Sep 2, 2026

Fermented yeast myoglobin aims to fix plant-based meat's flavor gap

Belgian startup Paleo engineers the food yeast Komagataella phaffii to produce bioidentical myoglobin, the iron-rich protein behind meat's color and umami flavor, through fermentation rather than an animal or a genetically modified crop. The stakes are whether the ingredient clears US and Canadian regulators and proves out in real formulation trials with meat-alternative brands.