METHODS OF FORMING TEXTURIZED MYCELIUM PRODUCTS WITH COMPRESSION AND/OR HEAT
A method of forming an edible meat substitute product includes providing a mycelium mass, disposing the mycelium mass in a container, and applying a vacuum to the container. The method further includes heating the mycelium mass to a first temperature above 25° C. to form a textured mycelium product. The texturized mycelium product has a chewiness in a range in of about 500 g/cm 2 to about 4,500 g/cm 2 and/or a firmness that is in a range from about 15 kg to about 20 kg.
1 . A method of preparing an edible meat substitute product, comprising:
providing a mycelium mass;
disposing the mycelium mass in a container; applying a vacuum to the container; and
heating the mycelium mass to a temperature suitable to provide a texturized mycelium product.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after said heating, heating the mycelium mass to a second temperature in a range from 50° C. to 100° C.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mycelium mass is heated to the second temperature for a period of time in a range from about 1 minute to about 120 minutes.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein heating the mycelium mass to the second temperature comprises disposing the container in a liquid bath, a steam oven, a microwave oven, or an infrared oven that is heated to the second temperature.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises plastic or metal.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the container is enclosed.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
adding at least one of food additives or colors to the mycelium mass.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one of food additives or colors is uniformly distributed in the texturized mycelium product.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the product is pasteurized.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
heating the mycelium mass to a second temperature in a range from 25° C. to 100° C. for a first period of time in a range from about 1 minute to about 120 minutes;
adding at least one of food additives or color to the texturized mycelium product; and
heating the mycelium mass to a third temperature in a range from 25° C. to 100° C., for a second period of time in a range from about 1 minute to about 120 minutes.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the product is pasteurized.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mycelium mass is heated to a temperature in a range from about 25° C. to about 50° C.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the texturized mycelium product has a chewiness in a range from about 1500 g/cm 2 to about 2000 g/cm 2 and/or a firmness that is in a range from about 15 kg to about 20 kg.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mycelium mass is a fungal mycelium comprising fungi from the genus Neurospora.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mycelium mass is a fungal mycelium comprising fungi from the species Neurospora crassa.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mycelium mass has a vitamin D content of from about 1 microgram per 100 grams to about 1,000 micrograms per 100 grams.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mycelium mass has an iron content of from about 5 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass to about 15 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass.
18 . A method of preparing an edible meat substitute product, comprising:
providing a mycelium mass;
disposing the mycelium mass in a container;
flowing a gas around the mycelium mass; and
heating the mycelium mass to a temperature suitable to provide a texturized mycelium product.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
heating the mycelium mass to a second temperature in a range of about 50° C. to about 100° C.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the mycelium mass is heated to the second temperature for a period of time in a range from about 1 minute to about 120 minutes.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein heating the container to the second temperature comprises disposing the container in a liquid bath, a steam oven, a microwave oven, or an infrared oven that is heated to the second temperature.
22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the container comprises plastic or metal.
23 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the container is enclosed.
24 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
adding at least one of food additives or colors to the mycelium mass.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the at least one of food additives or colors is uniformly distributed in the texturized mycelium product.
26 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the product is pasteurized.
27 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
heating the mycelium mass to a second temperature in a range from about 25° C. to about 100° C. for a first period of time in a range from about 1 minute to about 120 minutes;
adding at least one of food additives or color to the texturized mycelium product; and
heating the mycelium mass to a third temperature in a range of about 25° C. to about 100° C., for a second period of time in a range from about 1 minutes to about 120 minutes.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the product is pasteurized.
29 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the gas is at least one of air, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen.
30 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the mycelium mass is heated to a temperature in a range from about 25° C. to about 50° C.
31 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the texturized mycelium product has a chewiness in a range from about 1500 g/cm 2 to about 2000 g/cm 2 and/or a firmness that is in a range from about 15 kg to about 20 kg.
32 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the mycelium mass is a fungal mycelium comprising fungi from the genus Neurospora.
33 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the mycelium mass is a fungal mycelium comprising fungi from the species Neurospora crassa.
34 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the mycelium mass has a vitamin D content of from about 1 microgram per 100 grams about 1,000 micrograms per 100 grams.
35 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the mycelium mass has an iron content of from about 5 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass to about 15 mg of iron per 100 g of mycelium mass.