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Mycoprotein (lit. "fungus protein") is a form of
single-cell protein Single-cell proteins (SCP) or microbial proteins refer to edible unicellular microorganisms. The biomass or protein extract from pure or mixed cultures of algae, yeasts, fungi or bacteria may be used as an ingredient or a substitute for protein-ric ...
, also known as fungal protein, derived from fungi for human consumption. The only commercial mycoprotein is marketed under the brand name
Quorn Quorn is a brand of meat substitute products, or the company that makes them. Quorn originated in the UK and is sold primarily in Europe, but is available in 14 countries. The brand is owned by parent company Monde Nissin. Quorn is sold as b ...
, currently sold in 17 countries. It is a fermented product with a doughy consistency and slight mushroom flavor. Quorn was approved for use in the United Kingdom in 1983 and the United States in 2001. Though it is generally well tolerated, some studies indicate that mycoprotein may cause allergic reactions in some people.


History

The only mycoprotein on sale in Europe and North America is called
Quorn Quorn is a brand of meat substitute products, or the company that makes them. Quorn originated in the UK and is sold primarily in Europe, but is available in 14 countries. The brand is owned by parent company Monde Nissin. Quorn is sold as b ...
, created from ''
Fusarium venenatum ''Fusarium venenatum'' is a microfungus of the genus ''Fusarium'' that has a high protein content. One of its strains is used commercially for the production of the single cell protein mycoprotein Quorn. ''Fusarium venenatum'' was discover ...
.'' In the 1960s ''F. venenatum'' was identified by the British company,
Rank Hovis McDougall RHM plc, formerly Rank Hovis McDougall, was a United Kingdom food business. The company owned numerous brands, particularly for flour, where its core business started, and for consumer food products. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange an ...
, as a potential protein source for humans. ''F. venenatum'' was one of more than 3,000 species of fungi screened during a three-year period for being cheap to reproduce in
fungiculture Fungiculture is the cultivation of fungi such as mushrooms. Cultivating fungi can yield foods (which include mostly mushrooms), medicine, construction materials and other products. A ''mushroom farm'' is involved in the business of growing fun ...
, nutritious, and palatable. Concerns for pathogen-potential of the species on plants led to a twelve-year testing process. After this period ''F. venenatum'' was allowed to be sold on the English market, at the time its most thoroughly tested food product. ''F. venenatum'' is the only source of mycoprotein that can produce a high percentage of protein biomass approved for market.


Synthesis

The fungus is grown in vats using glucose syrup as its food. A fermentation vat is filled with the growth medium and then inoculated with the fungal spores. The ''F. venenatum'' culture respires aerobically, so for it to grow at an optimum rate, it is supplied with oxygen, and carbon dioxide is drawn from the vat. To make protein, nitrogen (in the form of
ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous was ...
) is added and vitamins and minerals needed to support growth. The vat is kept at a constant temperature, also optimized for growth; the fungus can double its mass every five hours. When the desired amount of mycoprotein has been created, the growth medium is drawn off from a tap at the bottom of the fermenter. The mycoprotein is separated and purified. It is a pale yellow solid with a faint taste of mushrooms. Different flavors and tastes can be added to the mycoprotein to add variety. A reproducible mutation occurs after 1,000 to 1,200 hours of cultivation in F. venenatum that greatly reduces the hypha length in the organism, which is considered unfavorable for production. Under normal conditions, this mutant strain will rapidly displace the parent strain. Replacing ammonia with nitrate as the source of nitrogen, or supplementing ammonium cultures with peptone, prevents this mutant strain from overtaking the product, but still allows development. Alternatively, the appearance of the mutant can be delayed by selection pressures such as nutrient concentrations or pH levels.


Health concerns

Some strains of ''F. venenatum'' produce a variety of
mycotoxin A mycotoxin (from the Greek μύκης , "fungus" and τοξίνη , "toxin") is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by organisms of kingdom Fungi and is capable of causing disease and death in both humans and other animals. The term 'mycotoxin' ...
s, such as type A
trichothecenes The trichothecenes are a large family of chemically related mycotoxins. They are produced by various species of ''Fusarium'', ''Myrothecium'', ''Trichoderma''/''Podostroma'', '' Trichothecium'', ''Cephalosporium'', '' Verticimonosporium'', and '' ...
. Mycotoxin-producing genes such as isotrichodermin, isotricodermol, sambucinol, apo-trichothecen, culmorin, culmorone, and enniatin B can be found in cultures of ''F. venenatum''. Specific strains that do not produce mycotoxins under optimal conditions can be selected to reduce the danger to human consumers. Testing at six-hour intervals can be done to monitor mycotoxin presence. There is continual testing for concerns of allergic reactions, which can range from abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting to severe asthmatic reactions, especially when crossed with inhaled
mold A mold () or mould () is one of the structures certain fungus, fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of Spore#Fungi, spores containing Secondary metabolite#Fungal secondary metabolites, fungal seco ...
spores.


Nutrition potential

Mycoprotein is able to provide greater satiety than traditional protein sources such as chicken, while also being low in caloric content. Replacing two servings of meat protein with mycoprotein can result in a daily deficit of , whilst also extending the period of satiation, which is promising for weight management programs. Mycoprotein is rich in fiber and protein content, but very low in fat, making it a desirable food source for consumers trying to limit fat intake while still participating in a high protein diet. ''F. venenatum'''s high fiber content also has potential in managing blood sugar levels. The mechanism that links fiber content and ''F. venenatum'''s effect on managing glycemia and insulenaemia is not completely understood, but it is known to decrease the rate of glucose absorption and insulin secretion and it helps mitigate the maximum limit an amount of insulin can process glucose, known as insulin peak. Under optimum conditions ''F. venenatum'' biomass can be 42% protein while also functioning as a prebiotic material for the lower gut.


See also

*
Protein quality Protein quality is the digestibility and quantity of essential amino acids for providing the proteins in correct ratios for human consumption. There are various methods that rank the quality of different types of protein, some of which are outdat ...


References


Further reading

*{{cite journal, first1 = M.G., last1 = Wiebe, title = Myco-protein from Fusarium venenatum: a well-established product for human consumption, journal = Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, volume = 58, pages = 421–7, doi = 10.1007/s00253-002-0931-x, issue = 4, year = 2002, pmid = 11954786, s2cid = 206934191 Fungal proteins Meat substitutes Single-cell protein