Knowledge voucher: Artisan by Asha explores fermentation of Flevoland beetroots

Beetroot is a familiar product in Flevoland. Earthy, sweet, intense in colour and widely present in the region’s agriculture. Artisan by Asha has been developing beetroot-based products for several years, with positive responses from her customers. At the same time, the company increasingly received requests for a fermented beetroot product. But can beetroots be fermented into a tasty product that is also easy to scale?

That question became the starting point for a knowledge voucher project through Food Pioneers. Together with FoodCrumbles, lead food scientist Annelie Verbon, fermentation expert Christian Weij and farmers from Flevoland, Asha explored the possibilities for fermenting Dutch organic beetroots. What is technically feasible? What makes a good product? And which directions are promising for further development?

A new direction for beetroots

Asha Rajak is the entrepreneur and food innovator behind Artisan by Asha. Her company works with beetroot-based products, including beetroot syrups. She is looking for ways to turn regional, ecologically grown Dutch beetroots into distinctive products. Asha previously took part in the Food Pioneers Program, and with this knowledge voucher project she has now taken a new step in her product development.

The central research question was:

What are the feasible options for (lacto-)fermenting beetroots and the consequential possibilities with regard to nutritional benefits?

The research looked at different ways of fermenting beetroots, the technical feasibility of those processes and possible starting points for further product development. Literature on the nutritional aspects of fermentation was also explored.

What the research looked like

For this project, Artisan by Asha worked with Annelie Verbon from FoodCrumbles and Christian Weij from Fermentatie Atelier Proeftuin Ede. Most of the project activities took place at Proeftuin Ede, where the fermentations were prepared and tested.

The beetroots used in the project came from Flevoland. The team worked with organic red beetroots from BioBeta in Zeewolde and with different colours and varieties from Zonneheerdt. Several fermentation routes were explored within the project. Wild fermentation, in which the microorganisms naturally present on the beetroot do the work. Fermentation with starter cultures, which allows the process to be steered more precisely. And a kombucha-like application, in which beetroot forms the basis for a more complex fermented drink.

Each route produced a different result. Sometimes fresh and acidic, sometimes rounder and deeper in flavour. Sometimes more suitable as an ingredient, sometimes more as a snack or drink.

More than twenty samples

During the project, more than twenty fermentation samples were developed. This gave Asha and the research team the opportunity to test widely. The effect of starter cultures proved especially interesting. Different cultures clearly influenced the final taste of the product. This gives Asha a strong basis to continue developing her own distinctive fermented beetroot product.

The project also showed that beetroot lends itself well to different product directions. Wild fermented beetroot cubes and fermented beetroot juice emerged as promising options for further development. As one of the people involved put it:

“Beetroot is a perfect vehicle for fermentation, both color and taste make for a unique product.”

Tasting with researchers, entrepreneurs and food professionals

A tasting was organised to collect feedback on the developed applications. Among the attendees were members of the Artisan by Asha advisory board, participants from various departments at Wageningen University and people with a background in food tech from across the Netherlands. The feedback collected during the tasting helped guide further development. The wild fermented beetroot cubes and fermented beetroot juice in particular were positively received by a large share of the tasters.

“With just 3 ingredients, these fermented beetroot products elevate a regular beetroot into a delicious snack that you just keep on munching.”

What the project delivered

The knowledge voucher project shows that Flevoland beetroots can be successfully fermented in different ways. For Asha, this now provides a strong foundation for further development. With Artisan by Asha, she wants to continue developing and scaling the fermented beetroot products, together with partners and investors who believe in circular food innovation, regional ingredients and the future of sustainable food concepts.

Do you have a knowledge question as a food entrepreneur?

This project shows exactly what a Food Pioneers knowledge voucher is for. An entrepreneur has a concrete question, but lacks the specific knowledge, technical expertise or research capacity needed to move forward. Through a knowledge voucher, that question can be connected to the right knowledge partner.

Are you a food entrepreneur in Flevoland working on a product, process or innovation question? And do you need knowledge to take the next step?

Apply for a knowledge voucher