Patent

1. A process for the preparation of an edible proteinaceous substance, suitable for use in a foodstuff, comprising fungal cells, the process comprising:

a. fermenting fungal cells of the order Mucorales in an aqueous liquid contained in a fermenter vessel, the liquid comprising an assimilable nitrogen (N) source and an assimilable carbon (C) source, and mixing the liquid and cells during fermentation;

b. reducing the RNA content of the fungal cells to below 4% by weight (wt %);

c. before or after (b), removing at least some of the water from the mixture of fungal cells and aqueous liquid; and

d. processing the fungal cells into an edible substance.

2. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid and fermenter vessel are devoid of an insoluble substrate for the cells.

3. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the fungal cells constitute at least 60% of the proteinaceous substance on a dry matter basis or the fungal cells constitute at least 70% of the proteinaceous substance on a dry matter basis.

4. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the fungal cells are of the genus Rhizopus or Gilbertella.

5. An edible proteinaceous substance, suitable for use in a foodstuff, comprising fungal cells of the order Mucorales having an RNA content of below 4 wt %.

6. An edible proteinaceous substance, suitable for use in a foodstuff, comprising fungal cells of the order Mucorales having an RNA content of below 4 wt % which is produced by a process according to claim 1 .

7. An edible substance according to claim 5 which is a biomass.

8. An edible substance according to claim 5 which is filter cake.

9. An edible substance according to claim 7 , wherein the biomass is milled.

10. An edible substance according to claim 7 , wherein the biomass is crumbled.

11. An edible substance according to claim 8 , wherein the filter cake is milled.

12. An edible substance according to claim 8 , wherein the filter cake is crumbled.

13. A process for the preparation of an edible textured product, the process comprising mixing one or more edible component(s) with an edible proteinaceous substance comprising fungal cells of the order Mucorales having a RNA content of below 4 wt % and mechanically texturizing the mixture.

14. A process for the preparation of an edible textured product, the process comprising mixing one or more edible component(s) with an edible proteinaceous substance comprising fungal cells of the order Mucorales having an RNA content of below 4 wt % and texturizing to form a product of which at least 5% is fungal cells on a dry matter weight basis.

15. A process for the preparation of an edible textured product, the process comprising mixing one or more edible components(s) with an edible proteinaceous substance comprising fungal cells of the order Mucorales having a RNA content of below 4 wt % and mechanically texturizing the mixture, wherein the proteinaceous substance is prepared by a process according to claim 1 .

16. A process for the preparation of an edible textured product, the process comprising mixing one or more edible component(s) with an edible proteinaceous substance comprising fungal cells of the order Mucorales and texturizing to form product of which at least 5% is fungal cells on a dry matter weight basis, wherein the proteinaceous substance is prepared by a process according to claim 1 .

17. An edible textured product, suitable for use in a foodstuff of which at least 40% is fungal cells having an RNA content of below 4 wt % of the order Mucorales on a dry matter weight basis.

18. A product according to claim 17 which comprises pellets, granules, a sheet, or is an extrudate, dough, roll, paste or meat-like chunk.

19. An edible textured product, suitable for use in a foodstuff, of which at least 40% is fungal cells of the order Mucorales on a dry matter weight basis which is produced by a process according to claim 13 .

20. An edible textured product, suitable for use in a foodstuff, of which at least 40% of the textured product is fungal cells of the order Mucorales on a dry matter weight basis which comprises pellets, granules, a sheet, or is an extrudate, dough, roll, paste or a meat-like chunk which is produced by a process according to claim 13 .

21. A process for the preparation of a foodstuff comprising forming a foodstuff with, or adding to an existing, foodstuff, an edible substance according to claim 5 .

22. A process for the preparation of a foodstuff comprising

(a) preparing an edible textured product by a process comprising mixing one or more, edible component(s) with an edible proteinaceous substance comprising fungal cells of the order Mucorales having a RNA content of below 4 wt % and mechanically texturing the mixture, where the proteinaceous product is suitable for use in a foodstuff, and

(b) forming a foodstuff with, or adding to an existing foodstuff the textured product.

23. A process for the preparation of a foodstuff, the process comprising:

(i) preparing an edible texture product, by a process comprising mixing one or more edible proteinaceous substance comprising fungal cells of the order Mucorales having a RNA content of below 4 wt % and mechanically texturizing the mixture, wherein the edible proteinaceous substance is prepared by:

(a) fermenting fungal cells of the order Mucorales in an aqueous liquid contained in a fermenter vessel, the liquid comprising an assimilable nitrogen (N) source and an assimilable carbon (C) source, and mixing the liquid and cells during fermentation;

(b) reducing the RNA content of the fungal cells to below 4% by weight (wt %);

(c) before or after (b), removing at least some of the water from the mixture of fungal cells and aqueous liquid; and

(d) processing the fungal cells into an edible substance; and

(ii) forming a foodstuff with, or adding to an existing foodstuff, the textured product.

24. A foodstuff which comprises an edible product and one or more edible components according to claim 5 .

25. A foodstuff which comprises an edible product and one or more edible components produced by a process according to claim 15 .

26. A foodstuff which comprises an edible product and one or more edible components produced by a process according to claim 16 .

27. A foodstuff which comprises an edible product and one or more edible components produced by a process according to claim 22 .

28. A foodstuff according to claim 24 which is a sausage, patty, burger, spread, pâté, animal feed, tablet, pie, savoury snack, or oven-ready meal.

29. A foodstuff according to claim 25 which is a sausage, patty, burger, spread, pâté, animal feed, tablet, pie, savoury snack, or oven-ready meal.

30. A foodstuff according to claim 27 which is a sausage, patty, burger, spread, pâté, animal feed, tablet, pie, savoury snack, or oven-ready meal.