Why
Fungi?
Earth is full of diverse flora and fauna
Amongst, fungi are present in various forms i.e. as mushrooms, yeast and mould. Due to wide range of applications, these are highly industrially important organisms e.g., Production of fermented foods, organic acids, pharmaceutical products, polysaccharides, and enzymes.
Conventional food applications of fungi
Fermented fungi products
(Leavened bread, Tempeh, Soy sauces)
Mold-ripened
cheeses
Alcoholic beverages, fermented porridges
Edible
mushrooms
Fungi as a Single cell protein (SCP) have numerous advantages over bacteria and yeast. Production of SCP through fermentation doesn’t require the acres of land or water needed to support the growth. Hence, it has always upper hand when compared with plant and animal based protein.
Importantly, fungus has better organotrophic characteristics then bacteria and yeast. Unique flavor profiles and nutrient qualities make fungi highly suitable source when developed into protein alternatives. Fungi are neutral-flavored by instinct, which can make it incredibly versatile in its food applications.
Preprocessing (cooking/freezing) of fungal biomass is a crucial step for its food application. The appearance of raw fungal biomass is comparable to that of uncooked dough. Cooking of fungal biomass imparts a chewy property that is close to other meat products. It even retains added dyes and flavors after being cooked.
A current trend of market depicts the most common application of fungi or mycoprotein is as the meat alternatives due to resemblance of its filamentous similar to animal meat muscles. According to studies, fungal biotechnology has the potential to significantly aid in achieving 10 out of 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations' through the rational enhancement of filamentous fungal cell factories.