10-

There's A Fly In My Soup!

Israeli "Foodtech Nation" startups offer
cool technology — even food from bugs.

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we,

David Shamah I Times of Israel

Tel Aviv

F

ood is the next big area
for Israeli tech:' said Ron
Antonovsky, who consults
with companies in Israel and abroad,
matching them up with Israeli start-
ups. "We are moving from 'Startup
Nation to a `Foodtech Nation:"
That food tech was on display
Dror Tamir offers one of Steak TzarTzar's
earlier this month at a conference in
edible grasshoppers to potential tasters.
Tel Aviv. It brought together entre-
The company was one of the Israeli
preneurs, academics and corporate
startups at FoodTech Nation, Dec. 15,
executives from Israel and abroad to
2015.
examine how made-in-Israel food
technology can help manufacturers
produce processed food that is easier
some of them on display at the event:'
to store, cheaper to produce and health-
One startup called Flying Spark has
ier to eat — the three holy grails of the
perfected a system that turns fruit flies
food processing industry, Antonovsky
into a high-protein powder that can be
said.
used in manufactured food products.
For example, an Israeli startup called
"Insects have always been a part of
DouxMatok has developed a technology
the
human diet," according to Eran
to make sugar and other sweeteners
Gronich, Flying Spark co-founder and
taste sweeter — enabling producers to
CEO. "We are the first company in the
use less of the white stuff while retain-
world
to generate protein from fly lar-
ing the sweet taste consumers crave.
vae.
Our
protein powder has no taste,
Using a proprietary fiber-based technol-
but
packs
a lot of protein, and it can be
ogy, DouxMatok's technology blankets
added
to
any
food product to instantly
food and drink with chemically engi-
boost
its
protein
level:'
neered sugar or polyol molecules that
Protein, of course, is one of the most
enhance the feeling of sweetness.
important and expensive of nutrients,
DouxMatok has developed enhanced
but
Gronich says that fly larvae is a
sucrose (table sugar), glucose, high-
cheap,
plentiful and safe (fruit flies,
fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and sugar
after
all,
eat only fruit) source of pro-
replacements such as maltitol, xylitol
tein.
The
company is growing its fruit
and erythritol. Tests in the U.K. indi-
flies
in
a
500-liter
vat near Beit She'an
cate consumers can't tell the difference
in
northern
Israel.
It's not yet clear if the
between "real" sweeteners and the
powder
can
be
considered
kosher.
DouxMatok variety.
But will the public go for bug-based
protein?
A FOODTECH LEADER
"We know there are cultures where
A delegation from Minnesota set
all sorts of things that are anathema
Israel on its path as a foodtech nation,
to Western tastes are very popular, but
Antonovsky said.
there is definitely an issue of cultural
"General Mills was looking for tech-
adjustment," Antonovsky said. "Food is
nology to enhance the nutritional value
something we naturally take very per-
of its food products, and they heard
sonally, so we can't expect that people
Israel had a lot of good technology,
are going to adopt radical changes,
so they asked me to match them with
regardless of how 'good' they are.
promising startups," he said.
Foodtech has to be evolutionary, not
"Manufacturers are interested in
revolutionary.
areas such as cheaper and healthier
"The tech offered by Flying Spark,
ingredients, smart packaging, improve-
DouxMatok and many other Israeli
ments in manufacturing systems and
startups offers 'behind the scenes' ben-
functional food, which supplies higher
efits — the tastes don't change, but the
levels of protein and other health ben-
nutritional values shoot up. That's what
efits," said Antonovsky. "Israel has inno- companies are looking for, and that is
vations in all these areas, and we put
what Israeli food-tech has to offer" *

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December 31 • 2015

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