181. Can Hue Believe It? Gerit Tolborg’s Quest for Pure Color at Chromologics

Gerit Tolborg, CEO and co-founder of Chromologics, joins Karl and Erum to explore how filamentous fungi can replace synthetic and plant-extracted food dyes with a fermentation-derived red pigment called Tellurin. Gerit shares how a PhD discovery in Denmark led to a venture-backed startup producing a tasteless, odorless, and highly vibrant natural color that performs across processed food categories, from cured meats to bakery to dairy. The conversation covers the real economics of bio-based colorants (including the critical concept of cost-in-use versus kilo price), the challenges of scaling downstream processing from a two-liter reactor to industrial CMOs, and how regulatory pathways at the FDA and EU's FSA are evolving to accommodate fermentation-derived ingredients. Gerit also makes a compelling case for fermentation as a tool for decentralizing and de-risking global supply chains, freeing agricultural land from color crop production and building resilience against climate and geopolitical disruption.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chapters:(00:00:00) - Science News: A Sulfur Exoplanet and What It Means for Extremophile Life(00:03:45) - Is Biotech Winter Over? New IPOs and the Industrial Biotech Outlook(00:08:45) - Introducing Gerit Tolborg and the Chromologics Origin Story(00:10:15) - Discovering Novel Fungal Pigments During a PhD in Denmark(00:13:15) - How Fermentation Produces a Tasteless, Odorless Red Pigment(00:16:30) - Color Vibrancy, Purity, and Competing with Synthetic Dyes(00:19:00) - Building a Mission-Driven Team in the Post-COVID Purpose Economy(00:20:45) - Color as the Forgotten Ingredient and Main Purchase Decision Driver(00:23:00) - Navigating FDA and EU Regulation for Novel Food Colors(00:25:45) - The GMO Perception Gap Between Europe and the US(00:27:30) - Scaling Fermentation: Downstream Processing and Cost Realities(00:30:15) - Cost-in-Use vs. Kilo Price: The Real Economics of Bio-Based Color(00:34:15) - Target Markets: Meat, Bakery, Dairy, Cosmetics, and Beyond(00:37:15) - Clean Labels, E-Numbers, and Naming a Novel Ingredient(00:42:00) - Quick Fire Round and Host TakeawaysLinks and Resources:ChromologicsChromologics raises $ bring its natural colour ingredients closer to market Chr. Hansen - Color House (now Novonesis)Scientists found new sulfur-rich exoplanetTickets for the GE Live Event with Roebling BioInnovations Events - For 25% off use code: Grow EverythingTopics Covered:fungi pigments, bio-based colorants, fungal dyes, natural pigments, sustainable color, food colorants, synthetic dyes alternatives, antioxidant pigments, food and beverage, clean ingredientsHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music by: Nihilore Production by: Amplafy Media