TorulaFeed™ from Rice, Corn, and Wheat for Affordable and Healthy Protein

Overview

Current research suggests that protein is good for you, carbs are bad for you and seed oils (omega-6 oils) are very bad for your health. Rice, corn, and wheat contain about 10% protein, 70% carbs (starch), 1-4% arabinoxylan (fiber), and 0.5-3% omega-6 oils. We’ve developed technologies to cost-effectively recover the protein from grain and convert the starch, arabinoxylan, and omega-6 oil to Torula yeast.

TorulaFeed™ is a mix of Torula yeast and grain protein, which is a high-protein feed that is less expensive, more digestible, and more nutritious than soy meal.

Potential Market Size for TorulaFeed

TorulaFeed competes in the animal feed protein ingredients market, valued at around $230-250 billion in 2023-2024 and projected to reach $410 billion by 2032 at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6-9%, fueled by animal feed and aquaculture expansion.

Specifically for aquaculture (a key target due to TorulaFeed's fish-friendly profile), the global aquafeed market stands at $67-72 billion in 2024-2025, expected to grow to $100-112 billion by 2030-2032 at a CAGR of 4-7.5%.

Balanced protein

Protein is more valuable when the constituent amino acids are a balanced source of food for fish, animals, and people. Rice, corn, and wheat protein is deficient in lysine and rich in methionine while yeast protein is rich in lysine and deficient in methionine. A mixture of these two types of protein is therefore more balanced (and thus more valuable) than rice, corn, and wheat protein alone. This balance is the reason for the modern trend of vegan meals made from seitan (vital wheat gluten) mixed with nutritional yeast.

Improved healthiness

Our mission is to produce TorulaFeed that is less expensive and healthier than protein from legumes such as soybeans, peas, and faba beans. These legumes contain many anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) that make them less than ideal for animal feed and human nutrition. These include trypsin inhibitors, lectins, oligosaccharides, phytic acid, saponins, antigens, isoflavones, tannins - all of which are harmful in feed. Carnivorous fish (salmonids/shrimp) suffer enteritis/growth issues at more than 30% soy. Young animals (piglets/chicks/calves) face digestive problems; poultry suffer from diarrhea and reduced growth. TorulaFeed has no ANFs, yielding healthier fish/chicken/pigs and healthier plant-based protein for people.

Reducing cost

The high cost of producing yeast protein compared to soybean protein is one of the main reasons it hasn’t previously been used as a replacement for soybean protein, so we’ve focused on patented technologies to make low-cost production possible.

Our process reduces capital expenses (CAPEX) and operating expenses (OPEX). It uses low-temperature enzymes to convert the starch in ground rice, corn, and wheat into simple sugars while simultaneously growing Torula yeast (Candida utilis) on these sugars in a rotating drum bioreactor (RDB). Air blown through the drum enables evaporative cooling, and we add water to maintain moisture without excess wetness. We harvest partial yeast batches, recycling the remainder along with enzymes to speed up subsequent cycles.

Depending on the country, rice, corn, and wheat are the least expensive sources of starch-derived sugars, yielding not just single-cell protein (SCP) but also converting oil to protein and incorporating the grain's protein, potassium, and phosphorus into the feed.

System design

Our portable design fits in 20-ft shipping containers, using corrugated High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) rolling drums that are 2 m in diameter, and 5 m long. These drums are made from food-grade HDPE and don’t leach nickel like stainless steel does. These containers are factory-assembled, stackable (up to 4 high), transportable by truck/train, and support rapid large-scale setup.

Capacity and cost of production

The rolling drum has a volume of 15.7 m3. It can be filled to 1/3 of this volume, which can hold 2.9 metric tons (MT) of ground grain and 2.9 MT of water. The rolling drum produces about 1.75 MT of TorulaFeed in a 48 hour cycle. A single container processes 530 MT/y of grain and produces 320 MT/y of TorulaFeed.

Assuming $200/MT for grain, $20/MT for urea, $20/MT for enzymes, $20/MT for inactivation and drying, and 5 kW of power to rotate the drum and power the fans, the production cost of TorulaFeed is about $385/MT.

The modern measure of protein quality is the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS). The DIAAS score of soybean meal is about 90 and the DIAAS score of TorulaFeed is about 120.

The world market price for soybean meal is about $350/MT. Since TorulaFeed has a 30% higher DIAAS score than soybean meal, has fewer Anti-Nutritional Factors (ANFs), and is more nutritious, TorulaFeed can be sold profitably at a price above $500/MT with a profit margin above 30%. The payback period is less than 6 months.

Technologies

This process is made possible by using our bacterial contamination control technique. This allows solid-state fermentation in an RDB with yeast/enzyme recycling and evaporative cooling - avoiding expensive submerged fermenters, heat exchangers, centrifuges, and dryers.

We focus on cost-effective SCP technologies for feed healthier than soy. We're licensing patents, tech, and designs to clients with cheap rice, corn, and wheat and access to feed markets, targeting the USA, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Argentina, and Mexico. Contact us for licensing information at info@cellofuel.com.

Our core patent blocks bacterial growth by limiting nickel (less than 1 mg/kg) and using urea as the sole nitrogen source - yeast thrives without nickel, but bacteria cannot. Use of this patent enables evaporative cooling and yeast recycling.

Process control

For optimal growth of Torula yeast, the temperature of the substrate in the rolling drum needs to be maintained in an optimal range. The amount of cooling available is limited by the humidity of the air, so we control the temperature of the substrate by varying three parameters - the amount of air blown through the drum (evaporative cooling), the rotation rate of the drum (oxygenation), and fed-batch feeding of phosphorus (growth rate). We also slow the feeding of phosphorus at the end of the fermentation cycle to reduce the RNA content of the yeast.

We provide the process control software as part of licensing. The main inputs for the process control are the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations at the air outlet and the air temperature at the air outlet. We also monitor the weight of the drum using load cells so we can control the moisture of the substrate.

Our baseline fermentation cycle time is 48 hours. Brazilian sugarcane ethanol plants have a cycle time as low as 12 hours and POET corn ethanol plants using the BPX process have a cycle time as high as 72 hours. Our cycle time can be decreased to 12-24 hours by recycling more of the yeast with each cycle and adding more granular starch hydrolyzing enzymes (GSHE). The cycle time can be increased to 72 hours by recycling less of the yeast with each cycle and decreasing the amount of GSHE (reducing the cost of enzymes).

Taste

Rice, corn, and wheat protein has a relatively mild flavor and Torula yeast provides an intense umami (meaty) flavor, giving the mixture a meaty flavor which is very tasty to fish, animals, and people.

Sample recipes

We’ve produced some recipes using TorulaFeed to show how to use it to produce healthy and tasty hamburgers with a perfect balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. TorulaFeed can also be used in other recipes for meatballs and ground beef. Food manufacturers can produce TorulaBurger™ patties for sale using similar recipes, preprepared for cooking.

TorulaFeed™ and TorulaBurger™ are trademarks of Hamrick Engineering.

Cost saving elements Impact Prerequisite
Solid-state fermentation with rolling drum No centrifuge or spray dryer, low power, no foam, high oxygen transfer
Granular Starch Hydrolyzing Enzymes No jet cooker or high temperatures
Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) Faster production of yeast
Evaporative cooling No plate heat exchanger or water chiller Bacterial contamination control
Corrugated HDPE rolling drum 1/10 cost of stainless steel Evaporative cooling
Yeast recycling Faster production of yeast Bacterial contamination control
Growing Torula yeast Uses the oil and arabinoxylan in rice, corn, and wheat to produce protein
Containerized Mass production, easy install, stackable

Contamination Control

Bacterial contamination is the top challenge in industrial-scale ethanol fermentation or yeast growth. Our patented method prevents it by using urea as the sole nitrogen source and keeping nickel below 1 mg/kg—eliminating acid washes or antibiotics. Urea is added gradually during simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), accelerating the process without issues. It works at pH 4-7.

PCT Patent WO2024092285A2

U.S. Patent No. 12,297,423

U.S. Patent App. No. 19/202,827, filed May 8, 2025

Rotating Drum Bioreactor

Our RDB fermenter leverages our contamination control patents for year-round aerobic yeast growth on hammer-milled rice, corn, and wheat. Its core is a corrugated HDPE rolling drum, enabling large, containerized, stackable units at less than $1,000/m³—vs. more than $15,000/m³ for traditional ones (e.g., corrugated HDPE rolling drum costs less than $1,000 vs. more than $9,000 for stainless steel). Operating costs are lower than submerged fermentation.

It uses granular starch hydrolyzing enzymes (GSHE: glucoamylase + alpha-amylase), SSF at 38°C with Torula yeast (also known as Candida utilis and Cyberlindnera jadinii), and yeast/enzyme recycling for speed.

Evaporative cooling skips heat exchangers, cutting CAPEX/OPEX and cleaning needs. Drums self-clean via abrasion during rotation. Drying is cheap at ~50% moisture in the slurry. Units are containerized and automated.

Healthier than Soy Protein

Our RDB fermenter yields yeast that's healthier than soy protein and competitively priced. Soy farming relies on harmful herbicides/pesticides that enter the food chain, plus soy has anti-nutritional compounds (e.g., trypsin inhibitors, lectins). Yeast offers better amino acid balance, sustainability (less land needed), and nutrition for fish/chicken.

Our low CAPEX and OPEX make TorulaFeed a cost-effective and nutritious alternative to soy meal.

Yeast from Rice, Corn, and Wheat

Our RDB fermenter cost-effectively produces protein-rich yeast from hammer-milled rice, corn, and wheat. Starch is hydrolyzed to glucose using GSHE (no-cook) enzymes, with yeast grown simultaneously (SSF). This is the cheapest aerobic sugar source—mirroring POET's ethanol process but aerobic for yeast. Drying energy is low at ~50% moisture.

Torula yeast is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS), approved globally for consumption by fish, animals, and people, is widely sold by Lallemand as a flavor enhancer, and has been safely used since the 1930s for fish, animal, and human consumption.

We increase the amount of Torula yeast in TorulaFeed by adding xylanase enzymes to produce arabinose and xylose from arabinoxylan (fiber) in wheat and corn, which Torula yeast metabolizes. Torula yeast also metabolizes the oil in rice, corn, and wheat, thus reducing the linoleic acid (omega-6) content of TorulaFeed.

Composition of TorulaFeed

Protein quality

The protein-enriched dried mixture that we produce, TorulaFeed, has about 50% protein with a high DIAAS score for protein quality of about 116 to 123. Torula yeast and grain protein have both been used for decades to replace soy in fish and animal feed, and the protein-rich mixture of these is well suited to replace soy. Soy, pea, and faba bean protein are also commonly used in foods as meat replacements, but TorulaFeed has fewer anti-nutritional factors (ANF’s).

Torula yeast has twice as much lysine as grain protein and grain protein has twice as much methionine as Torula yeast, so together they have a well-balanced amino acid composition. There’s no significant benefit to supplementing TorulaFeed with either lysine or methionine.

The most modern measure of protein quality is the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS). See below for DIAAS values for TorulaFeed from brown rice, corn, and wheat.

Vitamins

Torula yeast is enriched in all B vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin (but not vitamin B12). Torula yeast is also enriched in ergosterol, which can be converted to vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) via UV irradiation. This makes TorulaFeed a very nutritious product.

Fatty acids

TorulaFeed contains very low levels of fatty acids, because Torula yeast metabolizes oils in rice, corn, and wheat to protein. Figure 3 in Babij (1969) shows that as the glucose is depleted and the Torula yeast enters the stationary state, the amount of fatty acids within the Torula yeast is very low.

Because our process converts the oil from rice, corn, and wheat to protein before high-temperature drying, because there are very low levels of fatty acids in the Torula yeast to oxidize, and because Torula yeast contains significant trehalose (antioxidant), there are no rancid odors from drying or storing TorulaFeed. Since the shelf life of inactivated, dried Torula yeast is 1-2 years, TorulaFeed also has a shelf life of 1-2 years.

We produce both animal feed and hamburger patties with TorulaFeed by adding an 80/20% mixture of canola oil and flaxseed oil to enrich TorulaFeed with equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Because canola oil also contains tocopherol anti-oxidants (Vitamin E), the omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed oil aren’t oxidized when this oil is used for frying or baking, making it an ideal oil to incorporate in hamburger patties with a perfect balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. This oil also tastes good. A 1:1 mixture of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is also well suited for fish, chicken and pig feed nutrition.

Feed DIAAS Score Protein / 100 g feed Linoleic acid (LA) / 100 g feed Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) / 100 g feed LA : ALA ratio
Brown rice 89 8.5 g 0.90 g 0.04 g 22.5
Yellow dent corn 62 8.8 g 2.12 g .05 g 42.4
Wheat 60 14.8 g 0.67 g .07 g 9.6
Faba beans 55 26 g 0.58 g 0.05 g 11.6
Pea protein concentrate 82 80 g 1.69 g 0.32 g 5.3
Soybean meal 91 49 g 0.82 g 0.11 g 7.5
Torula yeast 95 50 g 0.5 g 0.125 g 4
TorulaFeed (Rice) 116 54 g .25 g 0.0625 g 4
TorulaFeed (Corn) 123 56 g .25 g 0.0625 g 4
TorulaFeed (Wheat) 116 54 g .25 g 0.0625 g 4
Food DIAAS Score Protein / 100 g food Linoleic acid (LA) / 100 g food Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) / 100 g food LA : ALA ratio
Atlantic salmon (wild) 100 20 g 0.17 g 0.14 g 1.2
Atlantic salmon (farmed) 100 20 g 1.67 g 0.11 g 15
Chicken (pasture raised) 108 21 g 1.50 g 0.15 g 10
Chicken (grain fed) 108 21 g 2.20 g 0.05 g 44
Eggs (pasture raised) 112 13 g 1.00 g 0.15 g 6.7
Eggs (grain fed) 112 13 g 1.83 g 0.06 g 30.5
Pork (grain fed) 113 21 g 0.50 g 0.02 g 25
Beef (grass fed) 109 21 g 0.20 g 0.08 g 2.5
Beef (grain fed) 109 21 g 0.40 g 0.02 g 20
Milk (grass fed) 114 3.3 g 0.08 g 0.05 g 1.6
Milk (grain fed) 114 3.3 g 0.10 g 0.02 g 5

TorulaFeed in Fish and Animal Feed and in Food

Palatability (taste) of TorulaFeed

Grain protein has very little free glutamic acid and is relatively tasteless.

Dried Torula yeast is rich in glutamic acid, giving this mixture a palatable, meaty taste, while still being suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Color of TorulaFeed

Grain protein from rice and wheat is a neutral color, while grain protein from corn is yellowish because it contains carotenoids.

These carotenoids can be a problem in aquaculture, particularly for salmonid species like rainbow trout and salmon. High inclusion levels in fish diets have been linked to suboptimal muscle pigmentation, where yellow carotenoids deposit in the flesh, resulting in an undesirable yellowish tint rather than the preferred pink or orange hue from added astaxanthin. For non-salmonid fish (e.g., catfish or tilapia), similar yellowing of fillets can occur.

When fed to poultry, these carotenoids are often valued for enhancing the yellow coloration of egg yolks and skin, which is desirable in many markets.

No significant drawbacks related to carotenoids are noted when consumed by animals or people, and they often provide antioxidant and eye-health benefits.

Dried Torula yeast is a tan or light brown color and does not contribute significant color when consumed by fish, animals or people.

RNA content of Torula yeast

People require about 0.8 g of protein per day per kg of body weight. The average person weighs about 62 kg (137 lbs) and thus requires about 50 g of protein per day. If half of the daily protein requirements are supplied by TorulaFeed, this would require 25 g of protein from TorulaFeed - about 61 g of TorulaFeed per day, of which would be about 34 g of Candida utilis yeast per day. Under normal growth conditions, the RNA content of Candida utilis is about 10% of dry matter, so 34g of Candida utilis contains about 3.4 g RNA. The recommended maximum daily consumption of RNA is less than 2 g/day, so it’s necessary to reduce the RNA content of Candida utilis for fish, animal, and human consumption.

In batch fermentation of Candida utilis, phosphorus limitation near the end of the process can be achieved by carefully calibrating the initial phosphate concentration in the growth medium. This can be done by supplying a limited amount of phosphate (e.g., via KH₂PO₄ or similar sources) such that it supports robust cell growth during the exponential phase but becomes depleted as the culture approaches the stationary phase. This depletion typically occurs when phosphate levels drop below approximately 6 mg/L, triggering a shift where cells can no longer synthesize new RNA efficiently due to the lack of available phosphorus for nucleotide formation.

At this point, RNA content in the cells decreases significantly (often to very low relative levels compared to phosphate-replete conditions), while other cell components like protein may remain stable or increase proportionally. This reduces the average daily consumption of RNA to well below 1 g/day.

High-temperature drying of TorulaFeed serves dual purposes: inactivating the yeast cells to render them non-viable and safe for consumption, while also enhancing digestibility by breaking down tough cell wall components. TorulaFeed has low levels of lipids (fats) so high-temperature drying doesn’t produce any rancid flavors from the oil in rice, corn, and wheat. The lack of lipids in TorulaFeed also makes it possible to store TorulaFeed in dry form for long periods (fats can go rancid from oxygen). It is also enriched in B vitamins. We produce both animal feed and hamburger patties with TorulaFeed by adding an 80/20% mixture of canola oil and flaxseed oil to enrich TorulaFeed with equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Because canola oil also contains tocopherol anti-oxidants (Vitamin E), the omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed oil aren’t oxidized when this oil is used for frying or baking, making it an ideal oil to incorporate in hamburger patties with a perfect balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. This oil also tastes good. A 1:1 mixture of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is also well suited for fish, chicken and pig feed nutrition.

Health aspects of TorulaFeed when consumed by fish, animals and people

TorulaFeed is healthy for fish, chicken, pigs, and people. Feed conversion ratios (kg feed/kg weight gain) are 1.0-2.0 for fish, 1.7-2.0 for chicken, 2.5-3.5 for pigs, and 6.0-10.0 for cattle (least efficient). Torula yeast's feed value dates to 1940s Germany. Global production: ~140M tons poultry, 110M tons pigs, 90M tons aquaculture yearly.

Essential fatty acids

People can't produce these fatty acids and without them people can’t live:

  1. Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA, omega-3): Heart/brain health, anti-inflammation (in flaxseeds, chia, walnuts).

  2. Linoleic Acid (LA, omega-6): Skin/hair, growth, membranes (in vegetable oils, nuts).

There are metabolic disorders caused by consuming an excess of omega-6 fatty acids, and TorulaFeed, along with an 80/20% mixture of canola oil and flaxseed oil, produces a feed that has equal amounts of ALA and LA. The human body converts them to EPA/DHA and a balance of ALA and LA in the diet prevents inflammation caused by too much LA.

Soybeans, peas, and faba beans have an omega-6 excess and no omega-3/EPA/DHA, leading to poor health when consumed by people, either directly or indirectly. Yeast is healthier to consume.

Anti-Nutritional Factors (ANFs) in legumes

Legumes such as soybeans, peas, and faba beans, contain many anti-nutritional factors that make them less than ideal for feeding to fish, animals, and people. These include trypsin inhibitors, lectins, oligosaccharides, phytic acid, saponins, antigens, isoflavones, tannins - all of which are harmful in feed. Carnivorous fish (salmonids/shrimp) suffer enteritis/growth issues at more than 30% soy. Young animals (piglets/chicks/calves) face digestive problems; poultry suffer from diarrhea and reduced growth. Yeast has no ANFs, yielding healthier fish/chicken/pigs.

Enhancing digestibility of TorulaFeed

There are no ANFs in yeast and grain residuals, but phytate and the non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) arabinoxylan can reduce the digestibility of TorulaFeed.

Grains contain phytate, which binds phosphate and causes chelation of many critical minerals. Even though Candida utilis secretes phytase to free the phosphate in phytate, some supplementation with phytase during growth of TorulaFeed may be helpful.

Arabinoxylan from grain is indigestible by fish, chickens, pigs, and people. Even though Candida utilis secretes xylanase, some supplementation with xylanase during fermentation may increase the yield of Candida utilis (which grows on xylose and arabinose) and improve the digestibility of TorulaFeed.

Animal Recommended Inclusion Level of TorulaFeed Key Basis for Recommendation
Salmon 20% (up to 25% in some trials) No adverse growth or health effects; potential gut benefits; higher may disrupt microbiome in mixed diets.
Chicken 20% Maintains performance and carcass yield; higher worsens feed efficiency.
Pig 20-26% No negative growth or diarrhea; improves efficiency; up to 40% protein replacement.
Dog Up to 20% High palatability and digestibility, anti-inflammatory benefits; no regulatory limit, but aligned with studies.
Cat 20% High palatability and digestibility; limited by fecal quality concerns.

Using TorulaFeed in Food

TorulaFeed is a dried mixture of the processed rice, corn, and wheat solids and Torula yeast that tastes like meat. It doesn’t require refrigeration and can be rapidly reconstituted as a healthy hamburger meat (ground beef) replacement. It is well suited to any market with health-conscious, vegetarian, and vegan consumers. It is tasty, with a nutty, smoky, or umami flavor profile derived from the yeast, combined with the milder, grain-like taste of the rice, corn, and wheat residues. Torula yeast is well-established as a flavor enhancer in foods, where it is valued for its savory qualities and ability to improve overall palatability in various products. It is suitable for inclusion in foods, because both ground grain and Torula yeast are recognized as safe for consumption (with Torula yeast holding GRAS status from the FDA), and because similar yeast-based single-cell protein products or fermented substrates are already incorporated into items like seasonings, spreads, soups, sauces, snacks, and vegetarian alternatives.

TorulaFeed has no dietary carbs, has a good balance of essential amino acids and is low-fat (no lipids), making it an especially healthy addition to our diet.

TorulaFeed is produced with reduced ribonucleic acid (RNA) content, which solves problems with elevated uric acid levels from high nucleic acid content. The process described uses food-grade enzymes and a yeast strain extensively utilized in the food industry, supporting its suitability.

Recipes Using TorulaFeed for Vegan Burgers

Common elements in all recipes

The oil is an 80/20% mixture of canola oil and flaxseed oil, optionally supplemented with flavors such as truffle.

The binder is either E461 methylcellulose or ground flaxseed. If ground flaxseed, add an equal amount of canola oil.

The addition of canola oil makes a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, and adds antioxidants.

Basic low-carb vegan burger recipe

This straightforward recipe emphasizes TorulaFeed flavor with a binder for a firm texture. It's minimally seasoned to highlight the umami from the Torula yeast, keeping net carbs low. Yields 4 patties (about 100g each after cooking).

Ingredients:

  • 200g TorulaFeed

  • 15g binder; absorbs moisture

  • 5g mixed spices (e.g., onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika)

  • 2g salt

  • 150-180ml water (adjust for consistency)

  • 10g oil (for mixing or cooking; adds minimal carbs)

Instructions:

  1. Mix the TorulaFeed, binder, spices, and salt in a bowl.

  2. Gradually incorporate water and oil, stirring until a cohesive dough forms (let sit 10-15 minutes to gel and bind).

  3. Divide into 4 portions and shape into patties.

  4. Pan-fry in a non-stick skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side until crispy or bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15-20 minutes.

  5. Serve with low-carb toppings like sliced tomatoes or vegan cheese.

Nutritional Notes:

  • About 19.6g protein per patty

  • No net carbs per patty

  • About 1g omega-6 and 1g omega-3 fatty acids per patty

Spinach-infused low-carb vegan burger recipe

This variation adds finely chopped spinach for added moisture and nutrients, binder without eggs or grains. It maintains a low-carb count with a fresh, green flavor profile. Yields 4 patties.

Ingredients:

  • 200g TorulaFeed

  • 100g fresh spinach (chopped and wilted to reduce volume)

  • 12g binder

  • 5g herbs and spices (e.g., basil, cumin, black pepper)

  • 2g salt

  • 120ml water

  • 8g oil (for wilting spinach and binding)

Instructions:

  1. Wilt chopped spinach in 4g oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then cool.

  2. Combine TorulaFeed, binder, herbs, spices, and salt.

  3. Mix in wilted spinach, water, and remaining oil; rest 10 minutes for binding.

  4. Form 4 patties and grill or pan-fry for 5 minutes per side.

  5. Enjoy on a bed of greens for an ultra-low-carb meal.

Eggplant and spice low-carb vegan burger recipe

Incorporating roasted eggplant for a smoky, meaty texture, this formula uses the binder to make a firm patty, resulting in ~8g net carbs per patty. The eggplant adds volume without significant protein or carbs. Yields 4 patties.

Ingredients:

  • 200g TorulaFeed

  • 80g eggplant (diced and roasted)

  • 14g binder

  • 6g spices (e.g., chili powder, coriander, turmeric)

  • 2g salt

  • 140ml water

  • 10g oil (for roasting and mixing)

Instructions:

  1. Dice eggplant, toss with 5g oil, and roast at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes until soft.

  2. Mash roasted eggplant slightly and mix with TorulaFeed, binder, spices, and salt.

  3. Add water and remaining oil; let mixture hydrate for 15 minutes.

  4. Shape into 4 patties and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 20 minutes, flipping once, or pan-fry.

  5. Pair with pickled veggies for added tang.

Using E461 methylcellulose as a binder

The market leaders in vegan meat patties are Impossible Burger, Beyond Burger, Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Burger, Lightlife Plant-Based Burger, and Incogmeato Burger Patties. All use E461 methylcellulose as a binder in their plant-based burger patties, which produces a juicier, meat-like texture that some people prefer. This firms up when heated, helping patties hold shape during cooking and offering a juicy bite when cooled. Methylcellulose is derived from plant-based cellulose fiber, is approved for food use worldwide and is relatively inexpensive.

Using flaxseed as a binder

Ground flaxseed, when combined with equal amounts of canola oil, also makes a healthy binder. It’s not quite as firm when cooking, but some consumers feel it’s more natural than methylcellulose, that it adds equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids and that it is quite tasty. When combined with canola oil’s antioxidants, it doesn’t produce off-flavors from peroxidation when frying.

Cost of protein in foods

When comparing the cost per kg of protein of different foods, commercially available vegan meat patties are 3 times more expensive than ground beef and are almost 50 times more expensive than TorulaBurger™ (see below). Vegan meat patties are marketed to wealthy consumers who aren’t price-sensitive to the cost of food, while TorulaBurger is a low-cost source of protein as healthy as salmon, but at 1/30 the price per kg of protein in salmon.

Protein source Retail cost per kg protein
Impossible Burger Patty $157/kg
Beyond Burger Patty $124/kg
Salmon Fillet (Atlantic, farmed) $85/kg
Ground Beef (85-90% lean) $51/kg
Eggs $48/kg
Pork Loin (boneless, skin) $31/kg
Chicken Breast (boneless, skinless) $30/kg
TorulaBurger™ $3/kg

Rolling Drum Bioreactor Clean-in-Place (CIP)

When growing Candida utilis in a rolling drum bioreactor using the non-starch parts of rice, corn, and wheat (i.e. bran) for support, the particulate nature of moistened bran, combined with the drum's rotation at 3 rpm and the presence of 8 lifters (150 mm high), promotes constant tumbling and cascading of the substrate. This mechanical action generates abrasion between the bran particles and the drum walls, which are made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) - a smooth, non-stick material with low surface energy that inherently resists adhesion.

Abrasion from the tumbling substrate effectively scours the drum interior, preventing the accumulation of material on the walls. Literature on RDBs for SSF (including with wheat bran) emphasizes challenges like heat transfer, mixing, and contamination but does not report wall fouling or biofilm thickening as issues, even in long-term operations.

Candida utilis primarily grows on the bran particles rather than forming extensive biofilms on the drum surfaces, especially under the dryish, aerated conditions with evaporative cooling and pneumatic conveying. The continuous addition and removal of bran further maintains dynamic flow, reducing opportunities for static buildup.

Thus, the abrasion of the bran keeps the drum clean over multi-month periods, with no evidence of progressive biofilm formation.

Target Markets

We target regions with abundant cheap rice, corn, and wheat and with strong demand for fish and animal feed. Sugars from hydrolyzed rice, corn, and wheat are cheaper than molasses for growing yeast.

India has the least expensive white rice, in the form of 100% broken rice (a byproduct of milling). About 20 MMT/y is produced and costs about $250/MT in the internal Indian market. Adding rice bran at about $200/MT can make a product similar to brown rice, but less expensively since broken rice is much less costly than white rice.

Country Corn Price Wheat Price
United States 377 MMT/y $157/MT 54 MMT/y $221/MT
China 295 MMT/y $321/MT 140 MMT/y $285/MT
Brazil 132 MMT/y $191/MT 8 MMT/y $231/MT
Argentina 50 MMT/y $174/MT 19 MMT/y $232/MT
Russia+Ukraine 41 MMT/y $175/MT 105 MMT/y $234/MT
India 43 MMT/y $315/MT 113 MMT/y $293/MT
Mexico 25 MMT/y $210/MT 3 MMT/y $262/MT

Who are we?

Hamrick Engineering was founded in 2013 by Edward B. Hamrick.

Edward (Ed) Hamrick graduated with honors from the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) with a degree in Engineering and Applied Science. He worked for three years at NASA/JPL on the International Ultraviolet Explorer and Voyager projects and worked for ten years at Boeing as a Senior Systems Engineer and Engineering Manager. Subsequently, Ed worked for five years at Convex Computer Corporation as a Systems Engineer and Systems Engineering Manager. Ed has been a successful entrepreneur for the past 25 years.

Alex Ablaev, MBA, PhD is Sr. Worldwide Business Developer. Alex previously worked for Genencor's enzymatic hydrolysis division, and is the President of the Russian Biofuels Association as well as General Manager of NanoTaiga, a company in Russia using CelloFuel technologies in Russia.

Alan Pryce, CEng is Chief Engineer. Alan is an experienced professional mechanical engineer - Chartered Engineer (CEng) – Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) - with 10+ years’ experience in the mechanical design and project management of factory automation projects in UK and European factories. He has been a Senior Design Consultant and project manager for over 30 years working for Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd involved with many design and build contracts in the military, rail, manufacturing, and nuclear industries.

Maria Kharina, PhD, is Sr. Microbiology Scientist. Maria has a PhD in Biotechnology and is a researcher with 10+ years of experience. Maria was a Fulbright Scholar in the USA from 2016-2017.

Beverley Nash is Director of Marketing. Beverley has run Nash Marketing for over 30 years and has extensive experience in marketing planning and development for both new and established businesses. Beverley has worked for many global corporations in the technical marketplace and has been responsible for both the planning and management of many programs dealing with all aspects of company and product growth.

Dr. Ryan P. O'Connor (www.oconnor-company.com) provides intellectual property strategy consulting and patent prosecution. Dr. O'Connor holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Minnesota. He has filed more than 1000 U.S. and PCT applications and is admitted to the Patent Bar, United States Patent & Trademark Office.

Hamrick Engineering Patent Portfolio