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 to produce 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 50% (w/w) protein on a dry weight basis, wherein the media comprises at least 50 g/L protein and wherein the high protein material is from a plant source comprising soy;
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 or beany flavor and reduced beany aromas compared to the high-protein material that is not myceliated.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Pleurotus spp. comprises Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus salmoneostramineus ( Pleurotus djamor ), Pleurotus eryngii , or Pleurotus citrinopileatus.
3. 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.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fungal culture is a submerged fungal culture.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous media comprises between 50 g/L protein and 200 g/L protein.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-protein material is a protein concentrate or a protein isolate.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of drying the myceliated high-protein food product.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pH of the fungal culture has a change of less than 0.5 pH units during the myceliation step.
9. A myceliated food product made by the method of claim 1 .
10. A composition comprising a myceliated high-protein food product, wherein the myceliated high-protein food product is at least 50% (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 soy, 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 media comprising at least 50 g/L protein, and wherein the myceliated high protein food product has reduced bitterness or beany flavor and reduced beany aroma compared with a non-myceliated food product.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fungal culture comprises Lentinula edodes.
12. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the fungal culture comprises Lentinula edodes.