PEKILO® mycoprotein ingredient is a revolutionary sustainable protein source produced through submerged fermentation of side-stream feedstocks like corn ethanol and dairy or forest industry residues. This protein-fiber powder boasts up to 55% complete protein content (65% in PEKILO®Aqua) along with functional fibers, beta-glucans, and nucleotides, all while maintaining a neutral taste and color profile.

As a versatile drop-in dry ingredient, PEKILO® finds applications across aquaculture (PEKILO®Aqua), pet food (PEKILO®Pet), and human food formulations. It offers exceptional digestibility rates of over 85% in salmon and trout, promoting gut health in animals. The production process requires minimal land and water usage, emits significantly lower greenhouse gases compared to animal or soy proteins, and is highly scalable with upcoming factories projected to produce several thousand tons annually by 2026.

With ongoing EU Novel Food filings and planned GRAS applications, PEKILO® is on track to penetrate global markets. Its cost-effective production methods and numerous industrial partnerships position it as a sustainable and competitive alternative in the ever-evolving protein industry.

Key Characteristics

• Contains up to 50–55% protein with a complete and balanced amino acid profile.

• Includes 35% high-quality fiber, primarily fungal β-glucans, which do not reduce protein digestibility.

• Has a neutral flavor and color, making it versatile for use in various food applications (e.g., meat and dairy alternatives, grains, baked goods).

• Produced from fungal mycelium (Paecilomyces variotii) using continuous fermentation in tanks.

• Made from various organic industrial side streams such as by-products from the agriculture, food, and forest industries.

• Originally developed in the 1970s—the world’s first commercial mycoprotein—and now optimized with modern biotechnology.

Environmental Benefits

• Requires no new agricultural land, helping to preserve forests and farmland.

• Uses up to 99.5% less water per kilogram of protein compared to soy cultivation.

• Produces up to 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than imported soy protein.

• Extremely land-efficient, with factories producing tens of thousands of times more protein per square meter than soy fields.

• Avoids the use of fertilizers, resulting in negligible nutrient runoff and less environmental pollution.

• Supports a circular economy by converting low-value industrial by-products into high-value, sustainable protein.