Methods for lowering gluten content using fungal cultures
The present invention provides a method for the preparation of a gluten-containing grain having lowered levels of gluten. The method includes providing a prepared gluten-containing grain which may be optionally sterilized or pasteurized. The prepared gluten-containing grain is then inoculated with a prepared fungal component and incubated. In one embodiment the prepared fungal component myceliates the prepared gluten-containing grain while incubated and during this process hydrolyzes gluten in the prepared gluten-containing grain. The present invention also includes a gluten-containing grain having lowered levels of gluten which has been prepared by the methods of the invention.
1. A method for preparation of a gluten-containing grain having reduced levels of gluten, wherein the gluten-containing grain is wheat berries, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a prepared gluten-containing grain comprising the steps of:
i. providing a gluten-containing grain;
ii. sterilizing the gluten-containing grain to provide prepared gluten-containing grain to remove microbial contamination;
b) providing a prepared fungal component, wherein the prepared fungal component consists of a submerged fungal liquid tissue culture selected from the group consisting of Morchella esculenta;
c) inoculating the prepared sterilized gluten-containing grain, wherein the inoculating step consists of contacting the sterilized prepared gluten-containing grain with the prepared fungal component thereby forming a gluten-containing grain and fungal component mixture; and
d) incubating the gluten-containing grain and fungal component mixture to hydrolyze gluten, wherein the incubating step comprises culturing between two and twenty-two days to induce myceliation, resulting in the gluten-containing grain having less than 20 ppm gluten, and wherein the gluten-containing grain having lowered levels of gluten has had more than 90% of gluten hydrolyzed compared to the prepared gluten-containing grain.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises drying the gluten-containing grain from step (d).
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises pasteurizing the gluten-containing grain from step (d).
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method of step a) further comprises hydrating the gluten-containing grain.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the culturing step is performed for between seven and fourteen days.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the submerged fungal liquid tissue culture is grown in a human food-grade media.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein gluten is selected from the group consisting of prolamin, glutelin and an aggregate of prolamin and glutelin.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein gluten content is measured by measuring prolamin, glutenin, or prolamin/glutelin aggregate.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prepared fungal component is prepared by a method comprising screening a number of strains of fungi and selecting a strain having an enhanced ability to tolerate, grow on, metabolize or utilize gluten.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prepared fungal component is prepared by a method comprising maintaining a strain of fungi on an undefined media comprising organic gluten and an energy source.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method consists of steps (a) through (d).