Edible foodstuffs and bio reactor design
Methods of production of edible filamentous fungal biomat formulations are provided as standalone protein sources and/or protein ingredients in foodstuffs as well as a one-time use or repeated use self-contained biofilm-biomat reactor comprising a container with at least one compartment and placed within the compartment(s), a feedstock, a fungal inoculum, a gas-permeable membrane, and optionally a liquid nutrient medium.
1. A food material comprising filamentous fungal particles having an average particle size of about 75-120 microns and a moisture content of <14%, wherein the food material is flour, wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise at least 46% protein and wherein the filamentous fungus is produced as a cohesive biomat by culturing the filamentous fungus in a culture medium having an osmolality of greater than 168 mOsm/kg.
2. The food material of claim 1 , wherein about 5 wt %, filamentous fungal particles have a particle size of >180 microns, and about 5 wt % filamentous fungal particles have a particle size of <75 microns.
3. The food material of claim 1 , wherein the filamentous fungal particles have an average water content <12%.
4. The food material of claim 1 wherein the food material comprises all essential amino acids.
5. A food product comprising the food material of claim 1 , wherein the food product is selected from the group consisting of bread, cookies, pasta, dumplings, rolls, muffins, cakes, and pies.
6. The food material of claim 1 , wherein the filamentous fungal particles is the sole protein component.
7. The food material of claim 1 , wherein the food material is vegan.
8. The food material of claim 1 , wherein the filamentous fungus is Fusarium strain MK7 (ATCC Accession Deposit No. PTA-10698).
9. The food material of claim 1 , wherein the cohesive biomat has a tensile strength of at least about 37 g/cm 2 .
10. A food material comprising filamentous fungal particles having a particle length of about 0.4 mm to about 500 mm, a particle width of about 0.4 mm to about 7 mm, and a particle height of about 0.03 mm to about 1.0 mm, wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise at least 46% protein and wherein the filamentous fungus is produced as a cohesive biomat by culturing the filamentous fungus in a culture medium having an osmolality of greater than 168 mOsm/kg.
11. The food material of claim 10 , wherein the filamentous fungal particles have a particle length of between about 4 mm to 10 mm, a particle width of about 1.0 mm to 3 mm and a particle height of <0.75 mm.
12. The food material of claim 10 , wherein the filamentous fungal particles have a particle length of <1.5 mm, a particle width of <1 mm, and a particle height of <0.75 mm.
13. The food material of claim 12 , wherein the filamentous fungal particles have an average particle length of <1 mm.
14. The food material of claim 10 wherein the food material comprises all essential amino acids.
15. The food material of claim 10 , wherein the food material is selected from the group consisting of a meat product, chicken nuggets, fish sticks or patties, jerky, pastas, noodles, dumplings, pies, confections, and candy.
16. The food material of claim 10 , wherein the filamentous fungal particles is the sole protein component.
17. The food material of claim 10 , wherein the food material is vegan.
18. The food material of claim 10 , wherein the filamentous fungal particles are formed from a biomat having an average tensile strength of at least about 37 g/cm 2 .
19. The food material of claim 10 , wherein the filamentous fungus is Fusarium strain MK7 (ATCC Accession Deposit No. PTA-10698).
20. A food material comprising filamentous fungal particles having an average particle size of about 75-120 microns and a moisture content of <14%, wherein the food material is flour, wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise at least 46% protein, wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise all essential amino acids and wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise between 4% and 21% branched chain amino acids, and wherein the filamentous fungus is produced as a cohesive biomat by culturing the filamentous fungus in a culture medium having an osmolality of greater than 168 mOsm/kg.
21. The food material of claim 20 , wherein the cohesive biomat has a tensile strength of at least about 37 g/cm 2 .
22. A food material comprising filamentous fungal particles having an average particle size of about 75-120 microns and a moisture content of <14%, wherein the filamentous fungus is Fusarium strain MK7 (ATCC Accession Deposit No. PTA-10698), wherein the food material is flour and wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise at least 46% protein, and wherein the filamentous fungus is produced as a cohesive biomat by culturing the filamentous fungus in a culture medium having an osmolality of greater than 168 mOsm/kg.
23. The food material of claim 22 , wherein the cohesive biomat has a tensile strength of at least about 37 g/cm 2 .
24. A food material comprising filamentous fungal particles having a particle length of about 0.4 mm to about 500 mm, a particle width of about 0.4 mm to about 7 mm, and a particle height of about 0.03 mm to about 1.0 mm, wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise at least 46% protein, wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise all essential amino acids and wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise between 4% and 21% branched chain amino acids, and wherein the filamentous fungus is produced as a cohesive biomat by culturing the filamentous fungus in a culture medium having an osmolality of greater than 168 mOsm/kg.
25. The food material of claim 24 , wherein the cohesive biomat has a tensile strength of at least about 37 g/cm 2 .
26. A food material comprising filamentous fungal particles having a particle length of about 0.4 mm to about 500 mm, a particle width of about 0.4 mm to about 7 mm, and a particle height of about 0.03 mm to about 1.0 mm, wherein the filamentous fungus is Fusarium strain MK7 (ATCC Accession Deposit No. PTA-10698) and wherein the filamentous fungal particles comprise at least 46% protein, and wherein the filamentous fungus is produced as a cohesive biomat by culturing the filamentous fungus in a culture medium having an osmolality of greater than 168 mOsm/kg.
27. The food material of claim 26 , wherein the cohesive biomat has a tensile strength of at least about 37 g/cm 2 .