More attractive flavors, colours and textures – fungi create a new world of future food

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the application of filamentous fungi produced in industrial and commercial fermentation to food products, and some new products have been successfully introduced to the market

Fungi are usually eaten

Before the middle of the twentieth century, attention began to be paid to the use of fungal cells as an alternative source

Not long ago, Tyler J.

Accelerated application of fungi in food

The article points out that fungi are widely used in food because of their ability to break down organic matter and create attractive flavors, colors and textures

As a food fungal biomass, the most common on the market is the fungal protein product QuornTM

In addition to being used as an alternative to animal protein products, fungal mycelium can also be used as a substitute for many other food products

Fungal biomass can also be used as an innovative ingredient

In addition, fungal hyphae can also act as a carrier for other microorganisms because it is able to attach to the cell walls of other microorganisms, providing additional nutritional value or texture, flavor and color

Most fungi have complex enzyme systems, which allow them to utilize a wide range of substrates, such as agricultural byproducts

Merit-based admission principles for strains

Depending on the intended purpose of using the fungus for biomass and products, the criteria for strain selection and optimization may vary

Flavor control is one of the most important characteristics of

Depending on how fungal microorganisms grow, the texture

The nutritional status of fungal-derived foods can also be altered

In addition, food 3D printing is an emerging area of

There are studies that use biomass matrix extracted from waste agricultural materials, inoculate it with fungi, and then apply it to produce products of the desired shape, size and bioactivity through 3D printers

Fungus-based foods have evolved from mushroom cultivation to other processed foods such as alternative proteins that mimic livestock meat, beverage products such as coffee and tea, milk-free cheese and milk, and a number of other products
.
In addition to food-based products, fungi are also being used in new industries such as health and beauty products, biodegradable packaging, pet food, environmental remediation, and agriculture
.

The application of filamentous fungi in future food is a promising and active field of
research and commercial venture capital.
In recent years, fungi have become increasingly used as an alternative protein source for animal proteins, including foods with different or more challenging properties such as steak and bacon
.
The application of 3D printing in food has recently attracted great interest, with the potential to further improve or change the texture and nutritional characteristics of existing and new foods
.
Frontier areas for the application of fungi in beverages, baked goods, and other food categories have recently been developed, either imitating or improving existing foods or creating entirely new product categories
.
However, the application of fungi in these new products and categories is still in the early stages
of science.

(Edited by Li Chuang)