China Approves Mycoprotein as New Food Ingredient

China has just made one of the biggest protein calls of the decade and barely anyone outside the industry has clocked it. The National Health Commission has approved mycoprotein (Fusarium venenatum) as a new food raw material for the first time, thanks to an application by Jiangxi Fushine Biotechnology. That’s right, a fungal mycelial protein now has the green light in the world’s most influential food market. Forget the stereotypes, fungi just went mainstream in China, officially.

This isn’t just a niche regulatory nod, it resets the global fermentation mood. China has effectively created a fresh blueprint for fermentation-based proteins, complete with national-level specs, composition limits, and mandatory labelling for vulnerable groups. While Europe and the US approved mycoprotein years ago, China has gone further by laying down clear guardrails instantly reducing uncertainty for future applicants. For fermentation innovators everywhere, this is regulatory gold.

The implications? Big. Immediate. Global. China wants food-security, diversified protein, and future-foods aligned with national innovation and food security priorities, and mycoprotein ticks all boxes. High fibre, low saturated fat, complete protein, scalable, and meat-like without the resource burn. With this approval, China is signalling to investors, manufacturers, and supply-chain operators worldwide: fungal protein is no longer experimental, it’s strategic. Expect new demand, new partnerships, and a faster drop in global cost curves.

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