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At GW Nutrition, we utilize our patented CleanSense™ Technology to improve the taste, color and odor of alternative proteins making them easier to be used by the food industry.
About
By the year 2030 we will need 250 million tons of additional protein annually to feed the world’s growing population. Even today, over 725 million people go hungry daily and over 1 billion people suffer from protein deficiency. Meeting the world’s protein needs today and into the future requires new solutions since animal-based proteins cannot meet the demand. Raising large numbers of livestock requires unsustainable levels of available land and fresh water, in addition to producing high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. The utilization of more sustainable proteins will be required to meet this global protein shortage; however, alternative protein sources from plants and microbes are often limited in their adoption in the food industry due to their challenging flavor, colors and odors. Our goal is to be part of the solution to this growing global protein crisis by making alternative proteins easier to utilize in food formulations and increasing their usage worldwide.
GW Nutrition’s (GWN) mission is to utilize our patented CleanSense™ technology to improve the taste, color, and odor of alternative proteins, making them easier to use in the food industry. We are driven by the desire to provide sustainable ingredients to the world, and with our proven leaders experienced in taking food ingredients to market, we believe our CleanSense™ technology can help reduce the environmental impact of food production. We have promising results with several types of algae and plan to dive into other alternative proteins in the future.
Key Benefits
Consumer acceptance of plant and microbial-based proteins is often limited due to their sensory characteristics, thus restricting their application in foods and beverages and reducing market opportunities for producers. GW Nutrition has developed a patented CleanSense™ technology to address these challenges. Using a proprietary light delivery system and a novel GW Nutrition technology design, the CleanSense™ treatment process reduces microbial contamination of alternative proteins while simultaneously moderating the color, flavor, and odor.
We are planning on licensing our CleanSense™ technology to manufacturers as an added step in their manufacturing process. The CleanSense™ process can generate value for our customers in several ways. First, our technology can reduce the need for flavor and color masking, saving time and money in the food formulation process. Second, it is label friendly, lowering the need for sugar and salt additives, two of the most common flavor masking agents currently utilized by food manufacturing companies. Finally, our technology can open new markets for sustainable alternative proteins with challenging sensory profiles, such as algae, which are limited in adoption due to their color and flavor profile.
Applications
The alternative protein market is bursting with opportunity, projecting to grow to $300B by 2030, with the CAGR% forecasted to reach 18.5% according to Alternative Protein Market Insights. A few critical drivers of this booming growth include the increase in demand for protein as outlined above, a lack of land and resources to support animal-based proteins, a growing vegan population, and a growing market for sports nutrition. With this market in mind, our CleanSense™ technology will be licensed to alternative protein manufacturers as a key step in their manufacturing process.
Our first key target alternative protein is Spirulina. Naturally hydroponic and using less than 4% of the water required to produce a traditional protein source such as meat, Spirulina is a blue-green microalgae that is both sustainably cultivated and high in protein content and quality. The sensory profile of raw Spirulina protein makes it difficult to incorporate into consumer-acceptable food and beverages, but after undergoing CleanSense™ treatment, the green color and fishy flavor are reduced while protein content is maintained.
Our CleanSense™ technology is regulatory friendly. Based on opinions from regulatory experts and a food/beverage attorney, our process is compliant with 21 CFR 179.39 “Ultraviolet radiation for the processing and treatment of food”. While GRAS is not technically required for CleanSense™ Spirulina due to the status of Spirulina as a recognized food ingredient and the codified use of ultraviolet radiation, we understand the importance of obtaining GRAS status for our customers. We are working with a top regulatory consulting firm, AIBMR Life Sciences, Inc. to perform the necessary research, prepare the dossier of detailed product information and safe consumption levels, and to convene the GRAS panel of experts to review and make a GRAS determination. AIBMR have already completed a feasibility assessment of our project, and they have given us a positive opinion that GRAS is obtainable for CleanSense™ Spirulina. This process, along with the necessary stability and protein functionality testing will be completed in 2025, in conjunction with the manufacturing of our latest demonstration scale unit.
With global alternative protein powder and bar sales projected to grow to $10.8B by 2032, we are initially targeting a higher value segment of the alternative protein market. North America captures roughly 20% of that total. As our technology matures and becomes more efficient and less expensive to manufacture, we anticipate the license fee will come down and our target market segments will expand. With an improved lower sensory Spirulina and other alternative proteins to follow, the choice of a healthy sustainable option becomes much easier for consumers.