Food technology company MycoTechnology and stevia specialist Adorvia Biotechnology have announced a global commercial partnership to develop and market natural sugar-reduction and taste-modulation solutions.
The collaboration pairs MycoTechnology's newly developed Zukora Honey Truffle Sweet Protein with Adorvia's proprietary Reb M stevia. The combined system is designed to provide food and beverage manufacturers with a natural, low-calorie sweetener blend that closely matches the sweetness profile of sucrose.
Sweetener Formulation and Taste Profiles
The partnership aims to address common sensory challenges associated with high-intensity natural sweeteners, such as lingering bitter or metallic aftertastes.
By combining the two distinct sweetening agents, the companies have designed a system that targets different phases of the human sweetness perception curve:
Zukora Honey Truffle Sweet Protein: Extracted using fungal fermentation, this protein provides a smooth, clean sweetness that eliminates the bitter, metallic notes and lingering aftertastes typical of alternative sweeteners.
Reb M Stevia: Formulated by Adorvia, this high-intensity stevia extract provides a rapid sweetness onset and high upfront intensity.
When blended, the sweet protein and the stevia extract work in tandem to mirror the sweetness onset and decline of natural sugar. This allows product developers to formulate low-calorie and no-calorie products without relying on artificial ingredients or heavy chemical masking agents.
Distribution Agreement
The signed collaboration agreement outlines a structured commercial approach across key global regions, combining MycoTechnology's research in fungal mycelium with Adorvia's distribution scale.
The partnership operates across several core operational areas:
North American Market Development: The companies will execute joint go-to-market activities in the United States and Canada, combining applications expertise to help regional manufacturers optimise their sweetening systems.
Exclusive Distribution in China: Under the agreement, Adorvia has been appointed as the exclusive distributor in China for MycoTechnology's ClearIQ Natural Flavour.
Taste Modulation and Masking: ClearIQ, produced through mushroom mycelial fermentation, acts as a multi-functional flavour modifier. Adorvia will market the ingredient to Chinese manufacturers to help mask bitter notes, counter protein off-flavours, reduce astringency, and improve the overall mouthfeel of functional food products.
Jordi Ferre, Chief Executive Officer of MycoTechnology, stated that the partnership expands the technical tools available to manufacturers seeking natural, non-artificial sugar reduction. Ferre noted that combining Zukora's clean sweetness with Adorvia's Reb M enables the delivery of highly functional, sugar-like solutions while expanding the company's geographical reach into China and other international markets.
Jeff Pei, General Manager of Adorvia Biotechnology, added that the collaboration meets a growing global demand for clean-label taste modulation. Pei noted that utilising ClearIQ will help food and beverage companies in China mitigate undesirable off-notes in high-protein and reduced-sugar formulations, while the combined Reb M and Zukora platform offers a powerful new tool for calorie reduction.
