Mycoprotein Examples
Today, there is increased interest in mycoprotein as the environmental footprint of our food system has come into focus. Since the 1980s, Quorn, based in the United Kingdom, has been selling a mycoprotein-based meat substitute using the filamentous fungus Fusarium venenatum. In recent years, many companies have entered the mycoprotein space using a variety of fungi. ENOUGH produces meat alternative mycoprotein called ABUNDA using Fusarium venenatum. Nature’s Fynd makes alternative meat and dairy using Fusarium str. flavolapis, which they call Fy mycoprotein. Meati and The Better Meat Company make alternative meats using the mycelium of Neurospora crassa. The Better Meat Company calls their mycoprotein Rhiza. Some other companies in the mycoprotein space include Kynda, Libre, MyForest Foods, Infinite Roots, Nosh.bio, Enifer, Ultimeat, Done Properly, Moreshrooms, and Optimized.
Mycelium
While mushrooms are the part of fungi that people are most familiar with, mushrooms are just the tip of the fungal iceberg. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi, like apples on a tree. The mycelium is the tree itself.
Mycelium is the root-like network of fungi, which is comprised of thread-like filaments, called hyphae. Mycelium most often grows underground or in decaying wood. Fungi absorb nutrients via their mycelia, which play important roles as decomposers in ecosystems. These hyphae branch together to form networks, which can be microscopic or massive, such as the Armillaria ostoyae network in Oregon, which spans many kilometres.
Mycoprotein
At Synthesis Capital, we are interested in mycelium as a food source. Mycoprotein is high-protein food ingredient derived from the mycelium of fungi. Mycoproteins are extremely nutritious; they are high in protein, high in fibre, low in fat, cholesterol-free, contain all nine essential amino acids, and contain various vitamins and minerals. Mycoproteins typically have a mild flavour which can absorb spices and seasonings and a meat-like texture due to the naturally occurring fibres. They also can perform functional characteristics in food including gelation, emulsification, water-holding, and foaming. Further, mycoprotein is extremely eco-friendly and resource-efficient, requiring more than 90% less land and producing more than 90% less greenhouse gas emissions than beef.
Eating mycoprotein is not new. Quorn, the first mycoprotein to come to market, came out of a research effort started in the 1960s which aimed to find a sustainable source of protein that could feed a growing population. The team of scientists studied over 3,000 soil samples before landing on Fusarium venenatum. Today there are many other companies producing mycoprotein for human food.
These companies produce mycoprotein through mycelial biomass fermentation, which is done via liquid state / submerged fermentation. The production process takes days, verses the months or years it takes to raise livestock to maturity. The submerged fermentation may be completed in batch, fed-batch, semi-continuous, or continuous production processes. Currently, mycelial biomass technologies are constrained by bioprocess productivity and input costs. Mycelium producers who are looking to reduce costs can target more productive fermentation processes, more productive fungal strains, and improved media.
As the mycoprotein industry continues to grow, it holds the promise of addressing global food security challenges while minimizing the environmental footprint of our food system. Mycoprotein companies should focus on producing delicious products that are cost effective.