Fungi protein is a front-runner in a race to Mars. The product promises to help feed astronauts on a three-year mission – while also helping solve food insecurity on Earth.
Ecoation’s fungi-based product is part of a mycoprotein global market projected to reach US$1.1-billion by 2030. The ingredient is promoted as one of the solutions to the global shortage of protein, the macronutrient most in demand yet also the most land intensive, inefficient and unsustainable.“Every person needs 50 to 100 grams of protein every single day,” said Gavin Schneider, vice-president of agronomy at Ecoation and chief executive officer of Maia Farms.
This spring, the design was selected to go through to the finals stage where, alongside three other contestants, Ecoation and Maia Farms have 12 months to build a full-scale food production model. The system is not designed to be the sole provider of food to a team of astronauts, but rather a supplemental source.However, the space challenge is just one small part of what Mr. Schneider and his team envision for CanPro, the proprietary name for the mycoprotein. Mr.
This is good news for the environment. Plant-based proteins emit fewer greenhouse gases, use significantly less land and are less energy intensive. They have on average a 50-per-cent lower environmental impact, according to a paper published in March. This is why, according to Mr. Schneider, mycoprotein will be successful where other products have failed.