Phyterra Yeast receives funds for yeast technology application

Phyterra Yeast Inc, a subsidiary of Functional Technologies Corp, has been awarded $2.5 million in non-dilutive funding from the Government of Canada's Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF) under the oversight of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

The funds will support a fast-track project to develop and commercialize the application of its proprietary acrylamide-preventing yeast technology, Acryleast, in the processed potato industry.

Sector-specific trials (in baked goods and snack foods) conducted in Europe with the company's acrylamide-preventing yeasts have demonstrated greater than 90% acrylamide reduction, providing validation and a strong basis for translating the platform over to industrial potato-processing protocols.

The funding will enable Functional Technologies to develop, validate, and maximize the performance of Acryleast in various processing protocols for potato foods and snacks.

Methods that attempt to counter the formation of acrylamide include changing the cooking time and/or temperature; however, these are considered less effective and potentially compromise the sensory profile of the final product.

Newer solutions have been shown to be successful in the laboratory setting, but the use of these in commercial and industrial scale has proved difficult and expensive.