Methods for the production and use of myceliated high protein food compositions
Disclosed is a method to prepare a myceliated high-protein food product, which includes culturing a fungi an aqueous media which has a high level of plant protein, for example at least 20 g protein per 100 g dry weight with excipients, on a dry weight basis. The plant protein can include pea, rice and/or chickpea. The fungi can include comprises Lentinula spp., Agaricus spp., Pleurotus spp., Boletus spp., or Laetiporus spp. After culturing, the material is harvested by obtaining the myceliated high-protein food product via drying or concentrating. The resultant myceliated high-protein food product may have its taste, flavor, or aroma modulated, such as by increasing desirable flavors or tastes such as meaty, savory, umami, popcorn and/or by decreasing undesirable flavors such as bitterness, astringency or beaniness. Deflavoring and/or deodorizing as compared to non-myceliated control materials can also be observed. Also disclosed are myceliated high-protein food products.
1. A method for producing a myceliated high-protein food product, comprising the steps of:
providing an aqueous medium comprising a high-protein material, wherein the aqueous medium comprises at least 60% (w/w) protein on a dry weight basis, wherein the medium comprises at least 50 g/L protein and wherein the high protein material is from a plant source comprising pea;
inoculating the medium with a fungal culture, wherein the fungal culture comprises Lentinula edodes, Agaricus spp., Pleurotus spp., Boletus spp., or Laetiporus spp., and
culturing the medium to produce a myceliated high-protein food product;
wherein the myceliated high-protein food product has reduced bitterness flavor and reduced beany aromas compared to the high-protein material that is not myceliated.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Laetiporus spp. is Laetiporus sulfureus.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Pleurotus spp. comprises Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus salmoneostramineus ( Pleurotus djamor ), Pleurotus eryngii , or Pleurotus citrinopileatus.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Pleurotus spp. comprises Pleurotus ostreatus or Pleurotus salmoneostramineus ( Pleurotus djamor ).
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Boletus spp. comprises Boletus edulis and Agaricus spp. comprises Agaricus blazeii, Agaricus bisporus, Agaricus campestris, Agaricus subrufescens, Agaricus brasiliensis or Agaricus silvaticus.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fungal culture is a submerged fungal culture.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-protein material is at least 70% (w/w) protein on a dry weight basis.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous media comprises between 50 g/L protein and 200 g/L protein.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-protein material is a protein concentrate or a protein isolate.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant source comprises chickpea.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant source comprises rice.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the myceliated high-protein food product is sterilized or pasteurized prior to the inoculating step.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of drying the myceliated high-protein food product.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous medium comprises, on a dry basis, dry carrot powder, dry malt extract, diammonium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, and citric acid.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous media consists of, on a dry weight basis, a protein source selected from the group consisting of a rice protein source, a pea protein source, and a chickpea protein source, and an anti-foam component.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anti-foam component is a food-grade silicone oil emulsion component or an organic polymer-based anti-foam component.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pH of the fungal culture has a change of less than 0.5 pH units during culturing.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the pH of the fungal culture has a change of less than 0.3 pH units during culturing.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the culturing step is carried out until the dissolved oxygen in the media reaches between 80% and 90% of the starting dissolved oxygen.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pH of the fungal culture does not change during culturing.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pH of the fungal culture has a change of less than 0.3 pH units during culturing.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pH of the fungal cultures has a change of less than 0.2 pH units during culturing.
23. A myceliated food product made by the method of claim 1 .
24. A composition comprising a myceliated high-protein food product, wherein the myceliated high-protein food product is at least 60% (w/w) protein on a dry weight basis, wherein the myceliated high protein food product is derived from a plant source, wherein the plant source comprises pea, wherein the myceliated high protein product is myceliated by a fungal culture comprising Lentinula edodes, Agaricus blazeii, Pleurotus spp., Boletus spp., or Laetiporus spp. in a medium comprising at least 50 g/L protein, and wherein the myceliated high protein food product has reduced bitterness flavor and reduced beany aroma compared with a non-myceliated food product.
25. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the myceliated high-protein food product is at least 70% (w/w) protein on a dry weight basis.
26. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the myceliated high-protein food product is in the form of a powder.
27. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the myceliated high-protein food product is produced according to the method of claim 1 .