Method of Producing a Mycological Product and Product Made Thereby

Abstract

A panel of mycological polymer consisting entirely of fungal mycelium as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/190,585 is post-processed to impart desired characteristics thereto, such as, texture, flavor and nutritional profile for use as a foodstuff or a tissue scaffold. Alternatively, the growth conditions of the growth media may be tailored to obtain a desired density, morphology, and/or composition of the undifferentiated fungal material with or without the use of post-processes.

Claims

1. A method of producing a mycological product comprising the steps of growing a porous tissue of a mycological polymer consisting entirely of fungal mycelium on a growth media comprised of nutritive substrate and a fungus while preventing full differentiation of said fungus into a mushroom; removing a panel of mycological polymer from said porous tissue; and packaging said panel for use.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said growth media is composed of 15% crude protein, 33% non-fiber carbohydrates, 28% lignin and 14% crude fat.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of infusing said panel with at least one additive selected form the group consisting of plant-derived proteins, fats, micronutrients and desired flavoring ingredients to mimic animal-derived meat products in said panel.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said step of infusing is performed under vacuum.

5. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said step of infusing comprises soaking of said panel with said at least one additive.

6. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said at least one additive is one of a plant-derived additive, a cell derived additive, a fermented bacterial or fungal derived additive and an animal derived additive

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of including elevated levels of essential dietary minerals in said growth media for bioaccumulating in said panel.

8. A method as set forth in claim 4 further comprising the step of adding flavoring additives to said panel by one of soaking and vacuum infusion.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of adding blocking compounds to said growth media to increase shelf-life in said panel.

10. A method as set forth in claim 6 further comprising the step of washing said panel in dilute hydrogen peroxide (3.5%) and drying under vacuum at a temperature and pressure to remove known malodors.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of mechanically tenderizing said panel.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of tenderizing includes passing an array of pins into said panel.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 further comprising the step of thereafter placing said panel in a chitinase bath to further tenderize said panel.

14. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: decellularizing said panel in a heated SDS bath with sonication; therefafter sterilizing said decellularized panel; and inoculating said sterilized panel with bovine myocytes in a bath of fetal bovine serum to form a complete three-dimensional cellular structure in vitro.

15. A panel of mycological biopolymer consisting entirely of fungal mycelium with an additive of at least one of plant-derived proteins, fats, micronutrients and selected flavoring ingredients therein.

16. A panel as set forth in claim 15 wherein said additive mimics animal-derived meat products in said panel.

17. A panel as set forth in claim 15 further comprising inoculated bovine myocytes therein.

18. A panel as set forth in claim 15 further comprising blocking compounds for increasing shelf-life in said panel

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0026] 1. An 18-inch by 11-inch by 2.5-inch panel of the mycological biopolymer is grown under airflow (lateral flow less than or equal to 100 cubic feet per minute) and temperature conditions (greater than or equal to 85 Fahrenheit) designed to create a tender (i.e. easily macerated), porous tissue on a substrate composed of 15% crude protein, 33% non-fiber carbohydrates, 28% lignin and 14% crude fat.

[0027] 2. The panel is extracted from the growth media via cutting and trimmed to desired size and shape.

[0028] 3. The fresh panel is then vacuum infused with plant-derived proteins, fats, micronutrients and desired flavoring ingredients (e.g., bacon flavoring) to mimic animal-derived meat products.

[0029] 4. The product is then vacuum packaged (with or without blanching) in sterile liquid and refrigerated until ready for consumption.

EXAMPLE 2

[0030] 1. An 18-inch by 11-inch by 2.5-inch panel of the mycological biopolymer is grown under airflow and temperature conditions, e.g. as above, designed to create a tender, porous tissue on a substrate composed of 15% crude protein, 33% non-fiber carbohydrates, 28% lignin, 14% crude fat, and elevated levels of essential dietary minerals.

[0031] 2. During growth these elevated levels of minerals will be taken up by the fungus, bioaccumulating in the mycelial tissue, rendering the final product more nutritious and balanced.

[0032] 3. The panel is extracted from the growth media via cutting and trimmed to desired size and shape.

[0033] 4. The panel can then be further amended with desired additives via soaking or vacuum infusion

[0034] 5. The panel can then be packaged, refrigerated, and consumed.

EXAMPLE 3

[0035] 1. An 18-inch by 11-inch by 2.5-inch panel of the mycological biopolymer is grown under airflow and temperature conditions, e.g. as above, designed to create a tender, porous tissue on a substrate composed of 15% crude protein, 33% non-fiber carbohydrates, 28% lignin and 14% crude fat.

[0036] 2. During growth, desired nutrients, flavors, or other additives can be aerosolized into the growth chamber, condensing on the propagating tissue, and being incorporated into the matrix.

[0037] 3. The panel is extracted from the growth media via cutting and trimmed to desired size and shape and packaged ready for consumption or cell culture.

EXAMPLE 4

[0038] 1. An 18-inch by 11-inch by 2.5-inch panel of the mycological biopolymer is grown under airflow and temperature conditions, e.g. as above, designed to create a tender, porous tissue on a substrate composed of 15% crude protein, 33% non-fiber carbohydrates, 28% lignin and 14% crude fat, with the addition of binding compounds, e.g. ligans and chelators, that target enzymes known to reduce shelf-life and resultant odors. These binding compounds act as blocking compounds that serve to increase shelf-life.

[0039] 2. After panel extraction, the panel is washed in dilute hydrogen peroxide (3.5%) and dried under vacuum at 110 C and 7 torr to remove known malodors (e.g., 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole)

EXAMPLE 5

[0040] 1. An 18-inch by 11-inch by 2.5-inch panel of the mycological biopolymer is grown under airflow and temperature conditions, e.g. as above, designed to create a tender, porous tissue on a substrate composed of 15% crude protein, 33% non-fiber carbohydrates, 28% lignin and 14% crude fat.

[0041] 2. After panel extraction, the panel is mechanically tenderized with an array of pins and then subjected to a chitinase bath to further tenderize the tissue.

[0042] 3. The panel is then packaged and is ready for consumption or cell culture.

EXAMPLE 6

[0043] 1. An 18-inch by 11-inch by 2.5-inch panel of the mycological biopolymer is grown under airflow (greater than or equal to 150 cubic feet per hour) and temperature conditions (less than or equal to 85 Fahrenheit) designed to create a dense (i.e. tough, gristle-like), porous tissue on a substrate composed of 15% crude protein, 33% non-fiber carbohydrates, 28% lignin and 14% crude fat.

[0044] 2. The panel is decellularized in a heated SDS bath with sonication.

[0045] 3. The decellularized panel is then sterilized, and inoculated with bovine myocytes in a bath of fetal bovine serum.

[0046] 4. Cells are allowed to proliferate along the scaffold formed by the inoculated panel, until a complete three-dimensional cellular structure is formed in vitro. The scaffold in this instance is a matrix of interconnected mycelium fibrils between 1 and 10 microns in diameter and a porosity of no less than 75%. The fibers that compose the matrix serve as a structure for mammalian cells to adhere to, grow along, and differentiate from. The scaffold is the structure that mammalian and other cells are seeded onto and around to generate differentiated tissue structures.

[0047] 5. This tissue is then useful in biomedical applications or for culinary purposes. For example, Other tissue engineering scaffolds include collagen and polylactic acid fibrils. Such scaffolds, as has been demonstrated with mycelium, can be seeded with osteoblasts (bone cells), allowed to grow on the mycelium under the right media and incubation conditions, and then differentiated into osteocytes that can be calcified to create bone tissue. The same is true for culinary approaches, but in this instance myocytes, or animal muscle cells (avian, bovine) are permitted to grow on and around the mycelium matrix. Incubated in grow media (fetal bovine serum was cited), and incubation conditions (typically the body temperature of the animal in question)

[0048] The method provides a panel of mycological biopolymer consisting entirely of fungal mycelium with an additive of at least one of plant-derived proteins, fats, micronutrients and selected flavoring ingredients therein.

[0049] In one embodiment, the additive mimics animal-derived meat products in the panel.

[0050] In another embodiment, the panel has inoculated bovine myocytes therein.

[0051] In still another embodiment, the panel contains compounds to block enzymes that would reduce shelf-life. (see Example 4).

[0052] The invention thus provides a mycological biopolymer material for use in making functional products. In particular, the invention provides a mycological biopolymer material that can be used to create a custom, mass-produced, non-animal matrix for the production of food, biomedical applications, and the like.