Vienna, Austria-based food technology startup Revo Foods has launched a black cod analog made of fungi protein and microalgae oils, which the company is calling “El Blanco.”
Revo has long hoped to scale and commercialize protein analogs through the use of 3D printing technology. To that end, the company holds three patents for the continuous 3D printing of proteins, and in 2024, it opened the world’s largest industrial production facility for 3D food extrusion.
Its cod analog is made via 3D extrusion technology, which creates the look of scaled fish fillets. Mycoproteins, which are fermented proteins grown from fungi, are unstructured, but 3D extrusion guided by computer models give Revo products the flaky look and feel of fish flesh, according to the company.
Revo Foods said its whitefish fillet analog is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, owing largely to its microalgae ingredient. The mycoprotein which Revo uses as El Blanco’s other building block “offers a complete amino acid profile, high bioavailability, and is rich in fiber, while being low in carbs and saturated fat,” the company said.
Because mycoprotein is nutrient-dense and neutrally flavored, it is used by many alternative protein producers. It also has the potential to address food security issues, according to Revo, which pointed out in a release about El Blanco that mycoprotein “grows rapidly, doubling in biomass every five hours, making it one of the most efficient protein sources known to humans.”
Revo is betting on its 3D extrusion technology, which gives El Blanco its recognizable texture, to make this largely unknown protein accessible to the average consumer.
The vegan startup’s products can be found in major European retailers such as Edeka, Rewe, Billa, and Spar. Its other products include a salmon-inspired fillet, a smoked salmon analog, and an alternative octopus.
