AERIAL MYCELIA AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME

1 . A method of making an edible aerial mycelium, comprising:

providing a growth matrix comprising a substrate and an edible fungus;

incubating the growth matrix as a solid-state culture in a growth environment for an incubation time period; and

introducing aqueous mist into the growth environment during the incubation time period, wherein the aqueous mist has a mean mist deposition rate of less than or equal to about 5 microliter/cm 2 /hour;

thereby producing extra-particle aerial mycelial growth from the growth matrix.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the growth environment comprises a growth atmosphere having a carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) content of at least about 0.02% (v/v) and less than about 8% (v/v); and the growth atmosphere has a relative humidity of at least about 95%.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the CO 2 content is within a range of about 0.2% (v/v) to about 3% (v/v).

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous mist has a conductivity of no greater than about 300 microsiemens/cm.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible fungus is not a fungus of the genus Ganoderma.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible fungus is a species of the genus Pleurotus.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the edible fungus is Pleurotus ostreatus.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein introducing aqueous mist excludes introducing the aqueous mist during a primary myceliation phase and comprises introducing the aqueous mist during a mycelial vertical expansion phase.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the extra-particle aerial mycelial growth from the growth matrix as a single contiguous object having a contiguous volume of at least about 15 cubic inches.

10 . An edible aerial mycelium comprising a growth grain, wherein the edible aerial mycelium is characterized as having:

a mean native density of no greater than about 70 pounds per cubic foot (pcf);

a native moisture content of at least about 80% (w/w);

a native Kramer shear force of no greater than about 5 kg/g; and

a mean native thickness of at least about 20 mm.

11 . The edible aerial mycelium of claim 10 , wherein the edible aerial mycelium is a growth product of a fungus of the genus Pleurotus.

12 . The edible aerial mycelium of claim 11 , wherein the fungus is Pleurotus ostreatus.

13 . The edible aerial mycelium of claim 10 , wherein the edible aerial mycelium has a native protein content within a range of about 20% to about 50% (w/w) on a dry weight basis and a native potassium content of at least about 4000 mg per 100 grams of dry aerial mycelium.

14 . A method of processing an edible aerial mycelium, comprising:

providing a panel comprising an edible aerial mycelium, wherein the edible aerial mycelium comprises a growth grain;

compressing the panel to a thickness that is no greater than about 75% of a native thickness of the panel; and

cutting the panel in a direction substantially parallel to the growth grain to form at least one strip.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising contacting the panel with an aqueous saline solution comprising sodium chloride at a concentration within a range of about 0.50% (w/v) to about 50% (w/v).

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising drying the at least one strip to a moisture content of no greater than about 25% (w/w).

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising applying an aqueous coating solution to the at least one strip, wherein the aqueous coating solution comprises a plant-based fat and a smoke flavorant.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the plant-based fat is coconut oil or avocado oil, and the smoke flavorant is applewood flavor, hickory flavor, or liquid smoke flavor.