Meati Foods establishes Science Advisory Board to lead nutrition research

Meati Foods, a producer of animal-free, whole-food protein made from mycelium, has announced the creation of the Meati Science Advisory Board (MSAB), composed of top scientists i n the fields of nutrition and food science, to research the full spectrum of health benefits offered by mushroom root, a term used to describe the mycelium in all Meati products.

Meati's mycelium is already known to offer complete protein (PDCAAS 1.0), and research into other types of mycelia suggests it may also have positive impacts on heart health, digestion, the immune system, and blood glucose levels. The MSAB was created to expand upon that research, exploring the full benefits of mycelium as a part of a regular diet, and developing a deeper understanding of the health potential of mycelium as a whole-food source of complete protein.

“Meati was founded on a commitment to develop food solutions good for the health of people and the planet, and we are excited to strengthen this commitment by working with the MSAB to unlock the vast potential of our mycelium and mycelia in general,” commented Dr Justin Whiteley, CTO & Co-founder of Meati Foods. “At Meati, we believe consumers and the environment win when we invest in rigorous scientific understanding of our products, and the MSAB was created with that goal in mind.”

The MSAB will bring together expertise from a diverse set of scientific disciplines, including the fields of food science, health and nutrition science, and food safety. In addition to a broad array of contributions to scientific research and education around the world, MSAB members have led breakthroughs in areas including the role of food in improving cardiovascular health, the health potential of phytochemicals in upcycled food ingredients, and developing solutions for celiac disease.

Dr Harold Schmitz, Chairman of the MSAB, is a General Partner at The March Group and Senior Scholar in the Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). He previously served as the Chief Science Officer at Mars, Incorporated, and is an advisor to the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s BioInnovation Institute based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“Research has shown Meati’s mycelium to be a safe and remarkably nutritious food, with extraordinary potential for contributing a variety of health benefits profound for a single ingredient,” said Schmitz. “As a multi-disciplinary team of world-class researchers, the MSAB is eager to explore the role mycelium’s unique array of nutritional attributes can play as a positive addition to anyone’s diet.”

Additional members of the MSAB include Dr Carl L. Keen, Professor Emeritus in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, who worked on California’s Proposition 65, a landmark regulation in protecting drinking water sources from toxic substances that cause cancer and birth defects and the reduction or elimination of exposure to those same chemicals in consumer products; Dr Roberta R. Holt, Associate Researcher in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, who brings expertise in the effects of phytochemicals in whole foods on physiologic response and the refinement of dietary recommendations to reduce chronic disease development and their effects; Dr Justin Siegel, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the UC Davis Genome Center, who is the Faculty Director of the Innovation Institute of Food and Health and conducts research in the fields of protein science and protein bioavailability; and Dr John Munafo, Flavor Science Director at the University of Tennessee Department of Food Science, who has researched the enhancement of flavor and the health-promoting properties of foods to improve the quality of the global diet.

Able to grow a teaspoon of spores into hundreds of cows’ equivalent of whole-food protein in just a few days, Meati’s proprietary production processes coupled with its unique mushroom root create a nearly infinitely scalable platform. The Eat Meati product line currently includes the Classic Cutlet, Crispy Cutlet, Classic Steak, and Carne Asada Steak. To date, Meati products have repeatedly sold out within minutes of being released online, and consumers have continued to embrace Meati products through the company’s retail and foodservice partners, including Sprouts Farmers Market, Sweetgreen, and Birdcall.

Meati's textures and flavors have won the enthusiastic support of some of food's biggest icons, including David Chang (Chef & founder of Momofuku and Majordomo Media); Nicolas Jammet and Jonathan Neman (Co-founders of Sweetgreen); and Sam Kass (former White House Senior Policy Advisor for nutrition and partner at Acre Venture Partners).