An improved mycelium in the form of an edible aerial mycelium that is suitable for use as a food product, including a food ingredient for making mycelium-based food, such as bacon. A method of making an edible aerial mycelium suitable for use as a food product, including a food ingredient. An edible product containing an edible aerial mycelium, and a method of making an edible product comprising an edible aerial mycelium, such as a mycelium-based bacon. A mycelium-based food product having a texture that is analogous to a whole-muscle meat product, wherein that whole-muscle meat product is bacon.

An improved mycelium in the form of an edible aerial mycelium that is suitable for use as a food product, including a food ingredient for making mycelium-based food, such as bacon. A method of making an edible aerial mycelium suitable for use as a food product, including a food ingredient. An edible product containing an edible aerial mycelium, and a method of making an edible product comprising an edible aerial mycelium, such as a mycelium-based bacon. A mycelium-based food product having a texture that is analogous to a whole-muscle meat product, wherein that whole-muscle meat product is bacon.

This application relates generally to aerial mycelium and methods of making aerial mycelium suitable for use as a food or textile product or ingredient. Such a food product or ingredient can include edible aerial mycelium having a texture that is analogous to a whole-muscle meat product, such as for example mycelium-based bacon. Such a textile product or ingredient can be used in the manufacture of mycelium-based textile products, leather-like materials, petroleum-based product alternatives, or foams.

There are provided a system, method(s), and apparatus comprising multiple interacting machines and sub-systems for autonomously/automatically, semi-autonomously/semi-automatically and/or manually harvesting items such as mushrooms from a mushroom bed, wherein the yield and quality of the harvest can be improved over standard methods of harvesting. The system may be referred to as a “harvesting and packing system”, having multiple interacting sub-systems, machines or apparatus to transport and position a harvester at different levels of a multi-layered growing bed, operate the harvester to scan and harvest items from the growing beds, and transfer harvested or “picked” items such as mushrooms to a packer having a stem cutter, discard bin(s) and collection bin(s) to enable fully autonomous harvesting and packing.

There are provided a system, method(s), and apparatus comprising multiple interacting machines and sub-systems for autonomously/automatically, semi-autonomously/semi-automatically and/or manually harvesting items such as mushrooms from a mushroom bed, wherein the yield and quality of the harvest can be improved over standard methods of harvesting. The system may be referred to as a “harvesting and packing system”, having multiple interacting sub-systems, machines or apparatus to transport and position a harvester at different levels of a multi-layered growing bed, operate the harvester to scan and harvest items from the growing beds, and transfer harvested or “picked” items such as mushrooms to a packer having a stem cutter, discard bin(s) and collection bin(s) to enable fully autonomous harvesting and packing.

An apparatus for cultivating plants, including mushrooms, is provided that includes at least one tilt-able plant cultivation module coupled to at least one horizontal support unit by at least one hydraulic unit. The at least one horizontal support unit is coupled to a vertical support unit. The tilt-able plant cultivation module further includes a frame and a plant cultivation tray. The frame of the tilt-able plant cultivation module and the at least one horizontal support unit is coupled manually, hydraulically, or pneumatically. The tilt-able plant cultivation module tilts at a desirable angle which facilitates and makes the plant harvesting process more convenient for a worker without affecting the under cultivated plants. The worker is enabled to look closer to the tilt-able plant cultivation module that in turn allows the worker to select plants to be harvested.

An apparatus for cultivating plants, including mushrooms, is provided that includes at least one tilt-able plant cultivation module coupled to at least one horizontal support unit by at least one hydraulic unit. The at least one horizontal support unit is coupled to a vertical support unit. The tilt-able plant cultivation module further includes a frame and a plant cultivation tray. The frame of the tilt-able plant cultivation module and the at least one horizontal support unit is coupled manually, hydraulically, or pneumatically. The tilt-able plant cultivation module tilts at a desirable angle which facilitates and makes the plant harvesting process more convenient for a worker without affecting the under cultivated plants. The worker is enabled to look closer to the tilt-able plant cultivation module that in turn allows the worker to select plants to be harvested.

A mushroom handling apparatus includes a frame, a mushroom transfer device, and a first guide extending around mushroom growing beds. Mushroom holders are mounted at spaced locations along the first guide. A drive moves the mushroom holders to transfer mushrooms between growing beds and a mushroom transfer region. A mushroom handling device adjacent the transfer device incorporates a second guide that at least partially overlaps the first guide in the transfer region. Mushroom grippers are mounted on the second guide, the mushroom holders and mushroom grippers being indexed on the guides such that the grippers are aligned with respective mushroom holders in the transfer region to transfer the mushrooms from the holders to the grippers. A lift adjusts the height of the frame with respect to vertically tiered shelving to bring the mushroom transfer device and mushroom handling device into vertical alignment with selected vertically tiered growing beds.

A mushroom handling apparatus includes a frame, a mushroom transfer device, and a first guide extending around mushroom growing beds. Mushroom holders are mounted at spaced locations along the first guide. A drive moves the mushroom holders to transfer mushrooms between growing beds and a mushroom transfer region. A mushroom handling device adjacent the transfer device incorporates a second guide that at least partially overlaps the first guide in the transfer region. Mushroom grippers are mounted on the second guide, the mushroom holders and mushroom grippers being indexed on the guides such that the grippers are aligned with respective mushroom holders in the transfer region to transfer the mushrooms from the holders to the grippers. A lift adjusts the height of the frame with respect to vertically tiered shelving to bring the mushroom transfer device and mushroom handling device into vertical alignment with selected vertically tiered growing beds.

Device for delivering at least a layer of compost and casing soil to a shelving for growing mushrooms, comprising a first conveyor, on which in a downstream direction are arranged a first hopper with a receiving opening for receiving compost and a dispensing opening for delivering a compost layer on the first conveyor and a second hopper with a receiving opening for receiving casing soil and a dispensing opening for delivering casing soil on the compost layer wherein at least one separator for separating in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction at least two fractions of the layer of compost with casing soil.