METHODS FOR NUTRITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF FUNGAL MYCELIUM
A method of forming an edible meat substitute product can include providing a growth media having an iron amount in a range of 0.1 mg/L to 10 mg/L and growing fungal cells in the growth media such that the fungal cells include a mycelium mass. The mycelium mass may have an iron content greater than or equal to 5 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass. The method can include separating the mycelium mass from the growth media and exposing the mycelium mass to a light having a wavelength in a range of 100 nanometers to 400 nanometers for a period of time so as to form an enhanced mycelium product having a vitamin D content greater than 1 μg per 100 grams of the enhanced mycelium product.
1 . A method of preparing an edible meat substitute product, comprising:
providing a mycelium product comprising fungal mycelium; and
exposing the mycelium product to a light having a wavelength in a range of 100 nanometers to 400 nanometers for a period of time so as to provide an enhanced mycelium product having a vitamin D content of greater than 1 μg per 100 grams of the enhanced mycelium product.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 1 second to 300 seconds.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 25 seconds to 45 seconds.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mycelium product has a moisture content of greater than 90 wt %.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mycelium product is compacted so as to have a moisture content of less than 80 wt %.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mycelium product is dehydrated so as to have a moisture content of less than 10 wt %.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the mycelium product to the light comprises:
flowing the mycelium product through a transparent conduit; and
exposing the mycelium product to the light through the transparent conduit.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the mycelium product to the light comprises exposing a first side of the mycelium product to the light, the method further comprising:
exposing a second side of the mycelium product to the light for a second period of time.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second period of time is in a range of 1 second to 300 seconds.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mycelium product is at a distance in a range of 1 centimeter to 10 centimeters from a source of the light.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength is in a range of 280 nanometers to 315 nanometers.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fungal mycelium comprises fungi from the genus Neurospora.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the fungal mycelium comprises fungi from the species Neurospora crassa.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the enhanced mycelium product has a vitamin D content of from about 1 microgram per 100 grams of the enhanced mycelium product to about 1 milligram per 100 grams of the enhanced mycelium product.
15 . A method of preparing an edible meat substitute product, comprising:
providing a growth media having an iron amount in a range of from 0.1 mg/L to 10 mg/L;
growing fungal cells in the growth media to produce a mycelium mass, the mycelium mass having an iron content greater than or equal to 5 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass; and
separating the mycelium mass from the growth media.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the iron amount is in a range of 0.1 mg/L to 2 mg/L.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
adding at least one of a sugar, a nitrogen-containing compound, or a phosphate-containing compound to the growth media.
18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
adding a second growth media to the mycelium mass, the second growth media having a second iron amount in a range of 0.1 mg/L to 10 mg/L.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
adding at least one of a sugar, a nitrogen-containing compound, or a phosphate-containing compound to the second growth media.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the mycelium mass comprises fungi from the genus Neurospora.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the mycelium mass comprises fungi from the species Neurospora crassa.
22 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the mycelium mass has an iron content of from 5 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass to 15 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass.
23 . A method of preparing an edible meat substitute product, comprising:
providing a growth media having an iron amount in a range of 0.1 mg/L to 10 mg/L;
growing fungal cells in the growth media to produce a mycelium mass, the mycelium mass having an iron content greater than or equal to 5 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass
separating the mycelium mass from the growth media; and
exposing the mycelium mass to a light having a wavelength in a range of 100 nanometers to 400 nanometers for a period of time so as to form an enhanced mycelium product having a vitamin D content of greater than 1 μg per 100 grams of the enhanced mycelium product.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 1 second to 300 seconds.
25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the iron amount is in a range of 0.1 mg/L to 2 mg/L.
26 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
adding at least one of a sugar, a nitrogen-containing compound, or a phosphate-containing compounds to the growth media.
27 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the mycelium mass comprises fungi from the genus Neurospora.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the mycelium mass comprises fungi from the species Neurospora crassa.
29 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the enhanced mycelium product has a vitamin D content of from about 1 microgram per 100 grams of the enhanced mycelium product to about 1 milligram per 100 grams of the enhanced mycelium product.
30 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the mycelium mass has an iron content of from 5 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass to 15 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass.