Shiru’s CEO discusses ‘revolutionary possibilities’ of its protein AI platform

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Founded in 2019, Shiru uses artificial intelligence to discover new proteins for use in food and beverage products. Shiru’s flagship platform has the world’s largest database of natural proteins from plants and microbes. The AI-driven technology enables CPGs to identify and test functional, natural ingredients. CEO and founder Jasmin Hume spoke to Food Dive about how food manufacturers can harness the company’s technology to get more out of their ingredient deks.

FOOD DIVE: How is Shiru’s technology impacting CPGs?

Hume: With consumers prioritizing health and sustainability, brands face pressure to innovate as quickly as possible. Shiru’s AI-powered engine, Flourish, enables companies to fast-track ingredient discovery and scale-up, reducing the typical 5-15 timelines to just 1-2 years. This efficiency, coupled with Shiru’s ability to uncover functional, natural ingredients, aligns with the growing market needs for speed, sustainability, and cost-efficiency.

How can food scientists and food manufacturers leverage AI?

HUME: Food scientists and manufacturers can leverage technology, like advanced AI, to discover new solutions with speed and for scale. Shiru provides a better way to identify, validate, and scale novel ingredients that meet functional and sustainability requirements. Technology like this opens up revolutionary possibilities while drastically reducing development time and costs, enabling teams to focus on creating innovative products that resonate with consumer trends and needs for more healthful solutions.

What is the Flourish platform? How does it work and how is it being used by food scientists?

HUME: The Flourish platform is Shiru’s proprietary AI-powered engine designed to identify and verify natural proteins with specific, highly desired characteristics. It uses a comprehensive database of over 33 million proteins to identify candidates that align with commercial needs, such as solubility, pH stability and taste performance. Food scientists can leverage Flourish to discover and validate novel ingredients for a range of applications, from sweeteners to alternative fats, significantly accelerating innovation timelines while reducing environmental impact.

How can manufacturers use the OleoPro product?

HUME: OleoPro is a groundbreaking alternative fat ingredient developed using Shiru’s Flourish platform. It combines plant-sourced proteins with proprietary processing methods to create a structured fat with superior performance in terms of mouthfeel, oil retention, and sustainability. Food manufacturers can use OleoPro in various applications, such as plant-based meats and dairy alternatives, to enhance texture and functionality while reducing reliance on traditional animal fats that have higher environmental impacts.

Where do you see the greatest potential for growth for Shiru? What’s next for the business?

Hume: Shiru’s greatest growth potential lies in expanding its applications across diverse industries such as food, personal care, advanced materials and beyond. While starting with natural proteins for food and personal care, Shiru has created a new way to discover natural ingredients, period. With the success of products like OleoPro™ and partnerships with major companies, Shiru is poised to scale its impact by licensing its technology and ingredients globally. Future efforts will focus on deepening collaborations, enhancing the AI capabilities of Flourish™, and expanding into new markets, all while maintaining a commitment to sustainable, innovative solutions that benefit people and the planet.