By offering a clean-label, eco-friendly alternative to artificial preservatives, Chinova Bioworks says its mushroom fibre ingredient “disrupts the preservation category”.

Chinova Bioworks, a Canadian food technology company, is benefiting from its clean-label shelf-life extender, Chiber™, being added as the first mushroom fiber to be included in Whole Foods Market approved ingredient list.

“The process is similar to how most plant fibers are naturally extracted,” said Natasha Dhayagude, chief executive officer. “It involves drying the mushrooms, grinding them and then using heat and water to purify the fiber from the stems. The minimal and eco-friendly processing helps deliver a natural mushroom fiber that improves the finished product’s quality, freshness and shelf life.”

When recent science graduates David Brown and Natasha Jean met in Fredericton, New Brunswick, the two became friends with a shared love of fitness and healthy eating. As chemists, they were aware of how bad for our bodies the preservatives in supermarket foods can be. Calcium propionate, for instance, prevents bread from going moudly by killing bacteria and yeast. But it has also been linked to an elevated risk of diabetes and obesity.

During her recent visit to New Brunswick, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, met with local entrepreneurs, producers, government representatives, and industry experts in the agriculture and agri-food sector. The Minister took part in roundtable discussions and tours highlighting the diversity of New Brunswick's agri-food production and its contribution to the region's sustainable development.