Fungi-derived food products for human consumption

 

Fungal microbes refer to foods that either contain fungal bodies or are made using fungal microbes in their production. Fungi play a significant role in much cookery and food processing units around the globe. Fungi-derived foods are foods prepared from fungi or using fungi in their synthesis process not just mushrooms you eat directly, but there are various products are derived from mushrooms. These products include a wide range of fermented, cultured, and fungal biomass-based products used for their protein content, flavor, texture, nutrition, and preservation abilities. There are some edible fungi like Basiodiomycetes and Ascomycetes are tremendously used as protein-rich food source.

1. Mushrooms

There are commonly used varieties of mushroom such as Button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus), Portobello, Cremini, Shiitake, Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus), Enoki, Maitake (Hen of the Woods), Lion’s Mane, Morels, Chanterelles, and Porcini are rich in protein, umami flavor, fiber, B vitamins, and antioxidants.

2. Truffles

It is a kind of underground fungus and it is different from mushrooms. It is very cost intensive and priced for their aroma and flavor. Truffles are generally used in small amounts in high-end cuisine.

A. Fungi-used Foods (Fermentation or culturing):

Fungi are also used to ferment or culture foods for changing their texture and flavor.

1. Bread preparation:

Fungus yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is used in baking bread to make it prepare.

2. Alcoholic beverages:

Alcoholic beverages are prepared from yeasts ferment sugars to produce different alcohol forms such as beer, wine, cider, and sake.

3. Cheese production:

Two different types of cheese are ripened using fungi like blue cheese like Roquefort, and Gorgonzola (Penicillium roqueforti) and Brie and Camembert cheese (ripened with Penicillium camemberti fungus).

4. Soy-based fermented foods:

A soybean-derived product Tempeh is made by fermenting soybeans with the fungus Rhizopus oligosporus. It is a highly beneficial fungus for the preparation of Tempeh. On the other hand, Miso and soy sauce fermented with molds fungi like Aspergillus oryzae.

5. Kombucha preparation

A fermented tea is made up with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY).

B. Mycoprotein-based foods as alternatives to meat

Mycoprotein is a protein-rich food derived from fungal biomass especially from Fusarium venenatum. Mycoproteins (Fusarium venenatum) are used in the preparation of products like ‘Quorn’ is a popular meat substitute.

Table: Fungi-derived foods and products

Sr. No.	Fungus-derived foods	Products	Fungal microbes
1	Edible fungi	Mushrooms, Truffles	Various mushroom species
2	Fermented foods	Bread, Beer, Cheese	Yeast, Penicillium, Aspergillus
3	Soy fermentation	Tempeh, Miso	Rhizopus, Aspergillus
4	Meat alternatives	Quorn	Fusarium venenatum

C. Categories of fungi-derived foods:

1. Fungal-cultures associated fermented foods: Fungi help to break down or transform ingredients, enhancing flavor, nutrition, and digestibility.

Sr. No.	Fungus-derived foods	Fungal microbes	Description
1	Soy Sauce	Aspergillus oryzae	Mold ferments soybeans and wheat into a salty umami-rich sauce
2	Miso	Aspergillus oryzae	Fermented soybean paste, used in soups and sauces
3	Tempeh	Rhizopus oligosporus	Fermented soybeans bound together by fungal mycelium. Nutty, firm, protein-rich
4	Cheese	Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium amemberti	Used in blue cheeses, Brie, Camembert, etc. to develop texture and flavor
5	Koji Rice	Aspergillus oryzae	Rice fermented with mold, used to make miso, sake, and soy sauce

2. Fungal biomass-derived foods:  These fungal biomass foods are derived from fungal cultures and generally used as meat source or protein alternatives. Mycoprotein like ‘Quorn’ is derived from Fusarium venenatum and it is used as meat substitute prepared from fungal biomass contains high in proteins and fibers. Recently, there is an emerging fungal meat such as Neurospora, and Pleurotus. Several industries or companies are developing ‘whole-cut’ meats or meat products derived from filamentous fungal biomass.

3. Fungal fermented beverages: Generally, fungi like yeasts are essential in alcohol and kombucha like beverages production. Beer is prepared from Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast by the process of fermentation in which sugars from grain. Wine is prepared from Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast by which yeast ferments sugars from grape fruits. Sake beverage is prepared from Aspergillus oryzae and yeast. Mold (Aspergillus oryzae) breaks down rice starch and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae ferments it into alcohol beverage. The alcoholic beverage Kombucha is derived from yeast and bacteria. It is a fermented product produced through sweet tea ferments into a tangy and bubbly drink.

4. Fungal-derived enzymes and food additives:  These enzymes and food additives are used in food processing, and not treated as primary ingredients of the foods.

Sr. No.	Additives and enzymes	Fungal microbes	Uses
1	Amylase, protease, lipase	Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus	Break down starches, proteins, and fats in food processing
2	Citric acid	Aspergillus niger	Widely used preservative and flavor enhancer
3	Rennet alternatives	Mucor miehei	Used to coagulate milk in cheese-production
4	Monascus (red yeast)	Monascus purpureus	Ferments rice to produce red yeast rice

5. Other fungi-derived food products: Other fungi-derived products include Truffle oil, Marmite or Vegemite, and Sourdough bread. Truffle oils or aroma is extracted from truffles fungi which are used in various food products for aroma purpose. Marmite or Vegemite is made from yeast extract and it is a byproduct of brewing. Sourdough bread is prepared by fermentation from wild yeast with dough naturally.