Chinova Bioworks collaborates with N.B. college to develop vegan-friendly beer

Chinova Bioworks launches a major research initiative with the College Communautaire du Nouveau Brunswick’s (CCNB) INNOV centre, backed by the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation’s Innovation Voucher Fund to develop a new processing aid for vegan-friendly brews.

Chinova is leveraging its clean-label ingredient expertise at CCNB’s Grand Falls campus, which has been developing technologies around brewing and distilling for years. The research project aims to develop a new application for Chinova’s proprietary white button mushroom fibre, Chiber, as a rapid fining agent for breweries.

“People are searching for vegan and plant-based options for every aspect of their lifestyle, so we are committed to innovating and providing sustainable solutions based off our white button mushroom fibre technology,” said David Brown, COO and co-founder of Chinova Bioworks. “Alcoholic beverages, particularly beer, are plagued with the use of animal-derived and synthetic ingredients, and we believe we can make a big impact here with Chiber.”

Chinova’s technology would provide brewers a vegan alternative to animal-based, isinglass fining agents and synthetic PVPP (polyvinylpolypyrrolidone) that has long been used in the beverage industry as a processing aid.