Protein Production Technology Podcast · FPG Media

Special Episode: Hermes Sanctorum & Pierre Donck - Paleo

·33 min·2 clips

Paleo’s first GMO-free myoglobin result produced a “really bloody red” picture that Hermes says he will remember for life.

1. Protein Production Technology International’s special episode focuses on Paleo’s work on precision fermentation and heme proteins for plant-based meat. 2. Hermes Nkouroum is Paleo’s co-founder and CEO, and Pierre Donck is the chief business officer who joined in 2024. 3. The episode asks how yeast-fermented myoglobin can help plant-based meat deliver the “meat experience” while staying animal-free and non-GMO. 4. Hermes says Paleo began from his long-running “battle against animal suffering” and his legislative work in Belgium on animal welfare, sustainability, and food transition. 5. He says he became frustrated with “the lack of speed” and “the lack of scale,” and that regulation alone felt limited. 6. Hermes uses the line that enlarging an animal cage still leaves “a cage,” which frames Paleo’s push for a system that is “totally animal-free.” 7. He says Paleo’s mission has stayed “quite solid,” but the company now wants to become a platform for multiple animal compounds. 8. Hermes recalls the first time the team made myoglobin through fermentation and also made it free of GMO and recombinant DNA. 9. He says the key technical challenge was making yeast release the molecule so the team could separate the yeast from the myoglobin. 10. He remembers receiving a photo from the chief science officer that showed the result as “really bloody red.” 11. Hermes explains that myoglobin is naturally present in meat and fish and affects color, taste, and nutritional value through heme iron. 12. Pierre says consumer research across the USA, Germany, and the UK showed that buyers care about taste, smell, aroma, color transition, and texture. 13. He says health-conscious consumers also look for bioavailable iron and see value in a product that is free of GMO. 14. Hermes says myoglobin makes raw plant-based meat turn red and cooked product turn caramelized brown, which mirrors familiar cooking behavior. 15. He adds that the ingredient contributes to metallic taste and grilled-meat notes during cooking. 16. Hermes says his main nutritional concern as a vegetarian is iron intake for children, because plant iron is not as easily absorbed. 17. Pierre says the company moved from liquid to powder for stability, easier handling, and more flexible use in customer processes. 18. He adds that powder also helps avoid cold-chain shipping and storage, which matters for markets beyond Belgium, including the USA and Asia. 19. The conversation is interview-based and technical, with Hermes and Pierre answering direct questions about product performance, regulation, and commercialization. 20. People interested in precision fermentation, plant-based meat, and non-GMO ingredients will find it useful, while listeners seeking light entertainment may skip it.

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