Myconeos, a pioneering fungal biotech company based at BioCity Nottingham, is pleased and excited to announce a groundbreaking discovery. Our scientists have unlocked the sexual cycle of Penicillium camemberti resulting in the first ever naturally bred Penicillium camemberti strains, thereby for the first time promoting genetic diversity within the otherwise limited Penicillium camemberti population.
Cleistothecia
This technology breakthrough builds on our platform of natural sexual breeding of Penicillium roqueforti. The scientific breakthrough has allowed Myconeos to, for the first time, produce by natural means new Penicillium camemberti strains with improved growth rates, proteolytic and lipolytic activity for use in dairy systems.
The game changing breakthrough will allow cheesemakers to manufacture Brie and Camembert-style cheese and fermented meats with improved product performance and consumer appeal. Myconeos is working with leading cheesemakers, vegan cheesemakers and fermented meat manufacturers to identify Penicillium camemberti strains that meet the needs of manufacturers and consumers ahead of launching the next generation of Mycoberti® cultures, specifically designed to increase choice and improve sensory and product quality in the mould ripened cheese market.
Ascospores versus conidia
Professor Paul Dyer, Myconeos CTO on behalf of the scientific advisory board, comments “We are delighted in this achievement by our research team and believe the re-introduction of genetic variation, through natural sexual crossing, into Penicillium camemberti delivering new Mycoberti® strains will allow the development of new and higher quality products and a greater variety of flavours, textures and colours. We are particularly excited about breeding new strains for vegan applications and delivering products that bridge the product quality gap in vegan dairy. We are now investigating the genetics of the mating process.”
