Swedish alternative protein producer Mycorena has developed an innovative circular system for brewing protein in space using algae and fungi. The solution involves several modules such as bioreactors and food production modules, allowing fungi to grow with limited resources. 

Named AFCiS (Algae-Fungi Circular Solution) and based on the company's research platform TechMyc, AFCiS uses fungi and algae in a closed-circuit system to optimize resource efficiency. The harvested biomass is then 3D-printed into the desired type of food.

The system was recently showcased and selected as a finalist of the Deep Space Food Challenge (DSFC), a competition coordinated by NASA and the Canadian Space Agency to advance technologies for resource-efficient food production suitable for long-term space missions.

Analyst QuickTake - Although producing food in space is a challenging process, this is not the first instance that a plant-based meat company explored the option of manufacturing protein in space. Eternal Mycofoods previously won the Phase 1 NASA Deep Space Food Challenge while Nature’s Fynd collaborated with NASA to develop novel methods of sustainable protein production for space exploration by growing Fy in space.