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Microbial protein, says Katelijne Bekers, waving a vial of beige powder in front of me like it’s magic. It doesn’t look like typical lunch fare, but this unassuming dust could play a crucial role in the future of food.
Bekers is the co-founder of MicroHarvest, an Hamburg and Lisbon-based startup that turns agricultural waste into protein powder using microbes—tiny organisms found all around us. The vegan ingredient has already made its way into dog treats. If all goes to plan, human snacks like protein bars, shakes, and ice cream won’t be far behind.
I visited the company’s Lisbon pilot plant on a sweltering summer afternoon last month. It’s tucked inside the Unicorn Factory, an industrial space that used to churn out pasta and cookies for the Portuguese military. Now, instead of carbs for soldiers, it houses bubbling vats of bacteria.
At the lab’s center sits a large steel fermenter with a small porthole through which you can see a thick brown soup gurgling away. Inside, billions of microbes are feasting on leftover sugars from the agri-industry, multiplying like microscopic gremlins. Once they’ve done their job, they’re killed and dried into protein-rich powder.
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“We prefer to say they’re ‘inactivated,’ ” Bekers chuckles. “It sounds nicer.”
The final product looks like light brown flour and smells faintly of Marmite. It packs a serious nutritional punch—around 60% raw protein, plus fiber, amino acids, and other nutrients.
MicroHarvest’s powder joins a crowded buffet of alternative proteins—think lab-grown chicken, algae nuggets, pea patties, and mycoprotein steaks. But Bekers is convinced that microbes deserve their spot on the plate.
“Producing microbial protein is much more efficient than plant or animal-based proteins,” she says. “You don’t need acres of land or gallons of water. Our microbes grow in days, not months or years, and they convert feed into protein with incredible efficiency.”
MicroHarvest’s fermentation process takes less than 24 hours—lightning fast compared to growing soy or raising cows. It is estimated to slash land use by 99% and cut CO2 emissions by over 70% compared to beef.
A 2022 study in Nature found that replacing just 20% of global beef consumption with microbial proteins could cut annual deforestation in half by 2050. Plus, bioreactors like MicroHarvest’s can be deployed anywhere there is a significant agricultural industry.
Of course, the idea of eating dried bacteria might raise eyebrows or stomachs. But Bekers draws comparisons to foods we already know and love.
“These are similar to microbes found in yogurt, kimchi, or sauerkraut,” she says. “Food is a cultural phenomenon, and we get that. We’re not trying to replace your steak or convert everyone to veganism. We’re just adding another protein to the menu.”
MicroHarvest’s fermentation process takes less than 24 hours, compared to growing soy or raising cows. It slashes land use by 99% and CO2 emissions by over 70% compared to beef.
Globally, almost $1 billion (€874 million) flowed into fermentation-based alt-protein startups last year, according to Dealroom data. Europe attracted nearly half of that, with 2024 marking the sector’s highest funding year ever on the continent.
Even replacing a portion of our protein consumption with a fermented alternative is compelling. It could significantly reduce land and water needed for farming while slashing carbon emissions. But the transition faces challenges.
Swapping steak for microbes isn’t as easy as building more bioreactors. Fermented proteins currently face high production costs and battle to win over skeptical consumers, often entangled in culture wars. Regulatory red tape also hinders progress.
MicroHarvest submitted a full dossier to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) seeking approval for human consumption of its fermented protein. The company plans to scale through pets first. Last year, it partnered with VegDog to launch vegan dog treats made with microbial protein.
Animal nutrition has fewer regulatory barriers than products for humans. MicroHarvest is now seeking Series B funding to open a new plant in 2027, with planned capacity of 15,000 tonnes per year—40 times its current output.
Co-founder Luísa Cruz notes that Portugal offers great opportunities for biotechnology companies due to its strong universities and talent pool. MicroHarvest is optimistic about the future despite challenges.
Fermentation-based proteins like MicroHarvest’s show promise but won’t easily transition from pet snacks to mainstream meals. The next few years will reveal if these microbial powders are a fleeting fad or the future of food.
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What is the main ingredient used by MicroHarvest to create their protein powder?
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