Technology · Ecology & restoration / Bioremediation

Upcycled food ingredients

Functional proteins, fibres and lipids recovered from food-industry side streams — okara, spent grain, brewer's yeast, coffee grounds — and returned to the human food chain as high-value B2B ingredients.

Risk: low Food ingredients Post-harvest & processing Waste & circular economy US · EU · CN Science: why it works → verified 2026-06-28 · 6 Sources (0 independent)

1 · What it gives

Upcycled food ingredients are functional proteins, fibres and lipids recovered from agricultural and food-industry side streams — okara, brewer’s spent grain and yeast, oat and almond pulp, imperfect produce, spent coffee grounds — and upgraded back to human-food value rather than being composted, digested to biogas or fed to animals. Roughly one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted each year, driving an estimated 8–10 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions, which makes side-stream valorisation one of the highest-leverage moves in a circular bioeconomy. Biotech processing — enzymatic hydrolysis, solid-state fermentation, membrane fractionation and gentle low-temperature drying — turns these streams into ingredients that replace costly protein isolates, egg white and texturisers across bakery, confectionery, plant-based meat and beverage formulations. The category has crossed into mainstream retail: the Upcycled Certified standard requires at least 10 percent verified upcycled content, and the United States has set a national goal to halve food waste by 2030.

The key directions of upcycled food ingredients are:

Enzymatic protein hydrolysis: controlled endo- and exo-protease cleavage of okara or yeast proteins to unlock emulsifying, foaming and gelling function, lifting okara’s emulsifying capacity several-fold.
Solid-state fermentation: growing Aspergillus oryzae or culinary-mushroom mycelium on side streams to remove off-flavours and build functional protein and beta-glucan.
Membrane fractionation: tangential-flow ultrafiltration that concentrates protein past 65 percent while keeping it native and soluble, alongside soluble-fibre recovery.
Low-temperature drying: vacuum-drum and spray drying at moderate temperature that stabilise wet side streams — which spoil within hours — without caramelising sugars or oxidising polyphenols.

Sectoral value chain#

[Agri/food side streams] ──> [Collection & stabilisation] ──> [Bioreaction & lysis]
                                                                  │
                                                          (Fractionation & drying)
                                                                  │
                                                                  ▼
[Bakery / plant-meat / beverage] <── [Functional B2B ingredient] <─────┘

Value chain levels#

Level	Description	Key inputs/outputs
Side-stream collection & stabilisation	Logisting wet by-products (okara, spent yeast) and cooling or acidifying them to halt spoilage.	In: Wet food by-products. Out: Stabilised feedstock.
Bioreaction (enzymatic / solid-state)	Protease hydrolysis or Aspergillus/mycelium fermentation to unlock functional protein and fibre.	In: Stabilised feedstock, enzymes/cultures. Out: Hydrolysed suspension.
Fractionation & extraction	Three-phase centrifugation and separation of cell-wall fibre from soluble protein and bioactives.	In: Hydrolysed suspension. Out: Protein and fibre streams.
Membrane concentration	Tangential-flow ultrafiltration to concentrate native protein above 65 percent without heat damage.	In: Protein stream. Out: Protein retentate.
Drying & standardisation	Vacuum-drum or spray drying to a stable powder, standardised on protein, fibre and organoleptic specs.	In: Protein retentate. Out: Functional dry ingredient.
B2B formulation & sales	Supplying ingredient to bakery, plant-based-meat and beverage makers under upcycled-certified labels.	In: Functional ingredient. Out: Finished consumer foods.

Cross-cutting technologies of the sector:

Enzymatic hydrolysis (biocatalysis): precise protease cleavage shortens side-stream protein chains to expose hydrophobic groups, recovering emulsifying and foaming function.
Solid-state fermentation: Aspergillus oryzae and mushroom mycelium deodorise okara and spent grain while building functional protein and beta-glucan.
Tangential-flow membrane concentration: ceramic-membrane ultrafiltration concentrates protein without thermal denaturation, preserving solubility and gelling.

2 · What it replaces 6 · matched by industry

D1E–	Fermentation and algal food colours instead of azo dyes (tartrazine, sunset yellow) and titanium dioxide Replaces: Azo food dyes — tartrazine (E102), sunset yellow (E110), azorubine (E122), ponceau 4R (E124), allura red (E129); titanium dioxide (E171) …	FOOD
D1E2	Microalgal omega-3 oils (DHA/EPA) instead of fish oil and krill oil Replaces: Wild-capture fish oil and Antarctic krill oil for omega-3 (food, supplements, infant formula) and part of the aquafeed fish-oil fraction; …	FOOD
D2E4	Apple and pear storage without diphenylamine (DPA) and post-harvest fungicide drenches — dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA), hot-water dipping, pre-harvest biocontrol and orchard sanitation Replaces: Diphenylamine (DPA) drenches against superficial scald; post-harvest fungicide drenches (thiabendazole, fludioxonil, pyrimethanil, …	EAC
D1E–	Baking enzymes (fungal amylase, maltogenic amylase, xylanase, glucose oxidase, lipase) plus ascorbic acid instead of potassium bromate and azodicarbonamide as flour treatment agents Replaces: Potassium bromate (KBrO₃) and azodicarbonamide (ADA) used as oxidizing flour improvers/dough conditioners; part of chemical emulsifier use …	FOOD
D1E2	Biopreservation of raw and minimally processed food with bacteriophages, protective cultures and bacteriocins (nisin) — instead of chlorine washes and part of synthetic preservatives Replaces: Chlorine (hypochlorite) washes for fresh-cut produce and poultry carcasses (by-products chlorate, trihalomethanes); part of the use of …	FOOD
D3E–	Citric acid by Aspergillus niger fermentation instead of extraction from citrus fruit Replaces: Citric acid extracted from lemons, limes and other citrus (calcium citrate route, Italy and California before 1930)	FOOD

3 · How to implement 6 steps

1
Collection, logistics and stabilisationDistribution & market access
Wet liquid brewer’s yeast at a water activity above 0.95 is collected from brewery fermenters, cooled to 4 degrees Celsius and acidified with food-grade citric acid to block pathogen growth and autolysis, then shipped to the processing plant in isothermal tankers.
Who can do this step matched automatically
Algaetech International Malaysia
16,483 t
“distributors and wholesalers for distribution in foreign countries.”
GEA Group Germany
“[Document search [Events & webinars [Farm Technologies dealer login [GEA merchandise shop [GEA videos”
Kikkoman Japan
1t
“Kikkoman Corporation is a Japan-based holding company focused on soy sauce and related foods, plus beverages and chemicals/biochemical, and an overseas wholesale business of Asian …”
CRUST Group Singapore
50,000L
“Technology centers on fermentation and extraction to “valorise” ingredients, delivered via a plug-and-play valorisation-as-a-service model (Stand-Alone wholesale, White Label …”
2
Controlled thermal and enzymatic autolysis
The yeast suspension is heated to about 55 degrees Celsius and dosed with specific peptidases; heat and endogenous enzymes break the tough yeast wall of mannoproteins and beta-glucans, releasing soluble cytoplasmic proteins into the water phase before a 85-degree pasteurisation step halts the reaction.
3
Three-phase separation and debitteringPurification & downstream
The hot mass is centrifuged and washed with a mild alkaline rinse to desorb bitter hop resins, splitting it into an insoluble cell-wall fibre fraction rich in beta-glucans and a clear liquid extract of soluble proteins and nucleotides.
Who can do this step matched automatically
Advanced Enzyme Technologies (NSE) India
✓ FSSC 22000 ✓ ISO 22000 500 m3
“Development of robust, scalable fermentation and downstream processing (production and recovery/yield optimization).”
Alfa Laval Sweden
✓ FSSC 22000
“Here we compare the three most common options: centrifugation, filtration and coalescence.”
Keclon Argentina
✓ FSSC 22000 60,000 liters industrial scale
“Maximize volumetric productivity and downstream processing at pilot scale”
Esco Aster Singapore
✓ FSSC 22000 ✓ ISO 22000 5,000 L industrial scale
“Adherent cell culture and downstream processing: commercialized Tide Motion bioreactor platform (MiniTide to TideXcell) with closed automated cell harvesting and single-use …”
4
Membrane concentration and ultrafiltrationPurification & downstream
The liquid protein extract is cooled to 10 degrees Celsius and run through a tangential-flow ceramic ultrafiltration unit with a roughly 10-kilodalton cut-off; salts and water pass through as permeate while high-molecular-weight functional proteins are retained and concentrated to 25–30 percent dry matter.
Who can do this step matched automatically
Advanced Enzyme Technologies (NSE) India
✓ FSSC 22000 ✓ ISO 22000 500 m3
“Development of robust, scalable fermentation and downstream processing (production and recovery/yield optimization).”
Alfa Laval Sweden
✓ FSSC 22000
“Here we compare the three most common options: centrifugation, filtration and coalescence.”
Keclon Argentina
✓ FSSC 22000 60,000 liters industrial scale
“Maximize volumetric productivity and downstream processing at pilot scale”
Esco Aster Singapore
✓ FSSC 22000 ✓ ISO 22000 5,000 L industrial scale
“Adherent cell culture and downstream processing: commercialized Tide Motion bioreactor platform (MiniTide to TideXcell) with closed automated cell harvesting and single-use …”
5
Gentle spray dryingPurification & downstreamField application & services
The protein concentrate is fed into a spray-drying tower with low-shear nozzles; an inlet near 150 degrees Celsius and outlet near 70 degrees Celsius keep the contact time short enough to avoid heat denaturation, preserving native gelling and foaming function.
Who can do this step matched automatically
Advanced Enzyme Technologies (NSE) India
✓ FSSC 22000 ✓ ISO 22000 500 m3
“Development of robust, scalable fermentation and downstream processing (production and recovery/yield optimization).”
Alfa Laval Sweden
✓ FSSC 22000
“Here we compare the three most common options: centrifugation, filtration and coalescence.”
Keclon Argentina
✓ FSSC 22000 60,000 liters industrial scale
“Maximize volumetric productivity and downstream processing at pilot scale”
6
Standardisation and packagingPackaging & fill-finish
The dried light-cream powder is tested for protein content (target above 70 percent dry matter), solubility, emulsifying capacity and microbiological purity, then blended for batch uniformity, vacuum-packed in multi-layer kraft sacks and shipped to plant-based-meat and bakery customers.
Who can do this step matched automatically
RWDC Industries Singapore
industrial scale
“2026-04-02 [A Major Step Forward in the Fight Against Microplastics — RWDC Industries is positioning itself as a leader in sustainable biopolymers, specifically Solon PHA, a fully …”
Alterpacks Singapore
“[Alterpacks - New Materials Solutions — AlterPacks is a Singapore-based startup that develops sustainable packaging materials sourced from agricultural by-products.”
TotalEnergies Corbion Thailand
75,000 tonnes per year pilot scale
“The move aligns with its broader low-carbon PLA initiatives and ongoing collaborations to expand biobased, recyclable, and compostable packaging solutions.”

4 · Who delivers

Matched suppliers (matched automatically)

Fermenstation	Japan	Producer	active
Alterpacks	Singapore	Producer	active
CRUST Group	Singapore	Distributor	active
Brevel	Israel	Producer	active
ADM / Sophie's BioNutrients	Singapore	Producer	active
Alchemy Foodtech	Singapore	Producer	active
OsomeFood	Singapore	Producer	active

In the services and supply catalogue 1 · paid service

Contract manufacturing (CMO/CDMO/toll)

Leading companies and institutes (from the brief)

Company / Institute	Country	Key products / platforms	Tech features	Status 2026
Revyve	🇳🇱 Netherlands	Yeast protein & fibre (vegan egg)	Spent-yeast fractionation (AB InBev)	operating
Renewal Mill	🇺🇸 USA	Organic okara & oat flour	Okara dehydration & milling	operating
ReGrained	🇺🇸 USA	SuperGrain+ spent-grain flour	Rapid spent-grain dehydration	operating
MycoTechnology	🇺🇸 USA	ClearIQ & mycelium ingredients	Fungal solid-state fermentation	operating
Kaffe Bueno	🇩🇰 Denmark	KAFFOIL coffee-oil ingredients	Spent-coffee-ground upcycling	operating
CAU	🇨🇳 China	Okara & soy research	Aspergillus/lactic okara fermentation	research

5 · Rules & route to market

Route into Russia / EAEU: FOOD · Rospotrebnadzor / EAEU
declaration of conformity, or SGR within 30 calendar days for new/specialized ingredients (plus tests)
Information, not legal advice — confirm the procedure for your product. (2026-10-06)

United States

The United States leads on commercialisation, anchored by a voluntary certification standard that turned “upcycled” into a recognised on-pack claim and by a cluster of ingredient pioneers.

Upcycled Certified standard, okara and spent-grain flour, mycelium fermentation#

Renewal Mill: an Oakland company that dries and micronises okara from soymilk plants into a gluten-free, high-protein, high-fibre flour, extending the line to oat-pulp ingredients sold B2B and as baking mixes under the Upcycled Certified mark.
ReGrained: the B2B brand of Upcycled Foods, Inc., whose patented rapid dehydration turns wet brewer’s spent grain into SuperGrain+ flour supplied to pasta, chip and bread makers.
MycoTechnology: a Colorado fungi-fermentation firm producing ClearIQ bitter-blocking and mycelium-based ingredients from solid-state fermentation of agricultural streams, having refined its portfolio around taste and clean-label function.

European Union

Europe pairs the Circular Economy Action Plan and Waste Framework Directive with a dense Dutch-led ingredient cluster and retail pull for circular foods.

Revyve yeast ingredients, coffee-oil upcycling, circular retail#

Revyve: a Dutch startup that physically fractionates spent brewer’s yeast — sourced in partnership with AB InBev — into protein and beta-glucan ingredients that replace egg white and methylcellulose in plant-based meats and baking, with a commercial plant in the Netherlands.
Kaffe Bueno: a Danish company upcycling spent coffee grounds into KAFFOIL coffee-oil ingredients, whose KLEANSTANT bio-based surfactant won a 2025 industry award for converting coffee oil into a natural anionic surfactant.
Retail pull and clean-label advantage: because most side streams (okara, spent grain, yeast) derive from foods already cleared for consumption, European producers can register ingredients on simplified pathways and market them as clean-label, fuelling “circular food” shelves at major retailers.

China

China frames upcycling as a circular-agriculture and protein-diversification strategy, with state planning and a vast okara stream underpinning a research-led rather than startup-led sector.

Five-year circular-economy plans, okara solid-state fermentation, tea-waste polyphenols#

China Agricultural University: a Beijing research leader advancing solid-state fermentation of okara with Aspergillus oryzae and lactic-acid bacteria to remove the beany off-flavour and convert soy pulp into functional fibre and protein for noodles and baked goods.
Okara scale: as the world’s largest soymilk and tofu producer, China generates millions of tonnes of wet okara a year, making its valorisation a national protein-security and waste-reduction lever.
Tea-waste polyphenols: Chinese institutes lead work on upcycling tea-leaf waste from bottled-tea plants into high-purity catechins and polyphenols used as natural antioxidants and preservatives in the meat industry.

6 · Money: tenders & grants

Grant	Circularity of seafood supply chain European Commission · EU	Sep 21, 2027 340 days
Grant	Continuing Human Enabling Enhancing Restoring and Sustaining Air Force -- Research Lab · United States	Aug 22, 2044 6520 days
Grant	First in Human and Early Stage Clinical Trials of Novel Investigational Drugs or Neuromodulatory Device-based … National Institutes of Health · United States	Oct 15, 2027 364 days
Grant	Health of ecosystems and wild species, predictions and impacts on human health, in the face of existing and … European Commission · EU	Sep 22, 2027 341 days

7 · Tech stack & innovations

The upcycled-ingredient industry stacks specialised bioreaction, membrane and drying technology to recover food-grade function from streams that were previously considered waste.

Enzymatic protein design (biocatalysis):
- Wet side-stream proteins often have poor functionality after harsh upstream processing; mild enzymatic hydrolysis shortens the chains and exposes hydrophobic groups, lifting okara’s emulsifying capacity three- to four-fold.
- The output mimics egg-white function (foaming, gelling) for vegan mayonnaise and bakery, replacing expensive isolates.
Low-temperature vacuum and spray drying:
- Wet brewer’s spent grain spoils within 4–6 hours at water activity above 0.9, so vacuum-pulse dryers evaporate moisture at around 55 degrees Celsius to prevent lipid rancidity and polyphenol oxidation.
- Spray drying with low-shear nozzles at controlled inlet and outlet temperatures concentrates protein past 70 percent dry matter while keeping native gelling and foaming intact.
Downstream membrane fractionation:
- Multi-stage disc centrifuges and ceramic ultrafiltration membranes split a single stream — such as starch-processing waste — into a protein concentrate above 65 percent and high-molecular-weight soluble fibre (beta-glucans).

Sources 6 · 0 independent · 6 producer sites

Producers' own sites 6

Revyve producer checked 2025-09-23 · link not kept
Renewal mill producer checked 2026-04-21 · link not kept
Regrained producer checked 2025-11-07 · link not kept
Mycotechnology producer checked 2026-05-19 · link not kept
Kaffe bueno producer checked 2025-12-05 · link not kept
Cau producer checked 2025-11-21 · link not kept