Startup develops mushroom coffee: a healthier, lower-caffeine option for wellness seekers
Never thought mushrooms could be related to coffee? They are now emerging as a healthier option for health-conscious coffee lovers and wellness seekers! Mushroom Innovation Tech Limited, a PolyU startup, has developed a range of functional drinks and foods using extracts from various mushrooms, helping people reduce their reliance on caffeine. This innovation has been featured in Ming Pao Daily News and other media outlets.
Co-founded by Dr Nano Cheng Wai-yin, Research Assistant Professor at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, the startup addresses the drawbacks and side effects of coffee, such as rapid heartbeat, post-caffeine fatigue, and “internal heat” from a Chinese medicine perspective. To tackle these issues, they use bioactive polysaccharides from mushrooms like reishi, cordyceps, and lion’s mane, as well as beta-glucan from oats, to develop a variety of functional drinks and foods, including healthier energy drinks. The mushroom coffee, which contains both mushroom extracts and coffee, is made by mixing these four extracts with coffee powder and contains only half the caffeine of regular coffee.
“Beta-glucan in oats helps regulate the biological clock and stabilise blood sugar, while polysaccharides in reishi and cordyceps can boost energy and immunity, and those in lion’s mane may help combat depression,” Dr Cheng explained.
Supported by the PolyU Micro Fund and other external funding schemes, the company leverages ultrasonic extraction technology to release important components from the mushrooms. This method offers higher extraction efficiency than the traditional hot water soaking method, resulting in a product with better value for money. They are currently applying for patents for this technology.
The product is now available in several local physical and online shops. The company also plans to launch a caffeine-free version and is developing other products, such as mushroom tea. Expansion into the Japanese market is underway, with future plans to enter markets beyond Asia.
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