The Hamburg-based biotech startup Infinite Roots receives funding totalling 2.6 million euros. The aim of the research project, which is being carried out in collaboration with the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), is to develop an innovative technology for the valorisation of whey, a by-product of milk processing.
Infinite Roots develops meat alternatives from mushroom roots
The aim of the project is to utilise whey as a nutrient for mycelium fermentation. Mycelium, the root-like network of fungi, has established itself in recent years as a particularly resource-efficient alternative to meat products. The project is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture on the basis of a resolution passed by the German Bundestag. The project is sponsored by the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food as part of the programme to promote innovation. The collaboration with the TUHH goes beyond technical aspects. An educational initiative will introduce young researchers to the topics of upcycling and environmentally friendly food technology.
With this project, Infinite Roots is developing a solution to a central problem in the dairy industry: whey, which accounts for up to 90 per cent of the milk used in cheese production, is produced worldwide in quantities of 180 to 190 million tonnes per year. However, only around half of this whey is currently processed. Disposal is expensive and ecologically problematic, as whey harbours the risk of groundwater pollution and contamination of agricultural land due to its high biochemical oxygen demand.
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