Active Mycelium Compound Extraction Process

Abstract

A process for the growth of mature mycelium, for extraction of medicinal and useful compounds to produce a consumable sublingual tincture.

Claims

1. A method of production for a mature mycelium extract for a sublingual tincture, comprising the steps of: cooking a substrate for mushroom growth made from a mixture of grains and containing a moisture content to promote mycelial growth. sterilizing a clear walled canning vessel and lid, said canning vessel further defining at least one rubber injection port and pressure release vents, said sterilization being achieved through a combination of temperature and pressure, wherein said cooked substrate is placed within said canning vessel with the lid secured upon said canning vessel; inoculating said substrate with a liquid containing mushroom spores by a sterilized syringe through one sterile rubber injection port; culturing said substrate containing specific liquid mushroom spores in an appropriately prepared and managed incubation area with specific environmental controls harvesting said developed and matured mycelia and substrate by adding purified water to form a mash comprised of antioxidant(s), culinary solvents, food grade acids or a combination there of to create an enzymatic chitin dissolution to extract all medicinal and useful compounds contained in the mycelium processing said mash by placing said mash within an ultrasonic extractor in the presence of ice, additional purified water, food grade acids (PH adjustments) and/or culinary solvents, or a combination thereof, to cause the enzymatic chitin dissolution required to break down and extract the specific active compounds from the mycelial mash; filtering said mycelium-rich liquids from said solids using a Burchner filtering funnel as well as, separatory gravity funnels to form a mycelium-rich tincture for sublingual application instead of ingestion to bypass metabolic actions that can disrupt optimal effects of the nutrient rich mycelium suspended within the culinary solvent tincture for various health benefits to a consumer, including the previously reported and ongoing research results showing various health enhancements including: improved cognition and memory, energy and stamina, sleep and cardiovascular support, liver health, digestion and probiotic improvement, antioxidant and DNA support, detoxification, mood and stress improvement, nerve support and injury recovery.

2. The method for the production of the mycelium extract of claim 1, further comprising said substrate including a mixture of brown rice, corn, oats and rye wheat.

3. The method for the production of the mycelium extract of claim 1, further comprising said food grade acids and/or culinary solvent is food grade ethyl alcohol of said tincture.

4. The method for the production of the mycelium extract of claim 1, further comprising: said substrate including a mixture of brown rice, corn, oats and rye wheat; and said culinary solvent is food grade ethyl alcohol and PH adjusting agents such as, food grade acids within said tincture to promote enzymatic chitin dissolution.

5. A method for the production of a mature mycelium extract forming a sublingual tincture, comprising the steps of: cooking a substrate for mushroom growth made from a mixture of grains and containing a moisture content to promote mushroom growth; sterilizing a clear walled canning vessel and lid, said canning vessel further defining at least one rubber injection port and pressure release vents, said sterilization being achieved through a combination of temperature and pressure, wherein said cooked substrate is placed within said canning vessel with the lid secured upon said canning vessel; inoculating said substrate with a liquid containing mushroom spores by a sterilized syringe through said at least one rubber injection port; culturing said substrate containing said liquid mushroom spores in an appropriately prepared and managed incubation environment until said spores have developed into mature mycelia and developed a desired growth within said substrate, visible through said clear walled vessel; harvesting said developed mycelia and substrate by adding purified water to form a mash; processing said mash by placing said mash within an ultrasonic extractor in the presence of ice, additional purified water, a culinary solvent, food grade acids or a combination thereof, to break down and extract said mycelia from the mash; filtering said mycelium-rich liquids from said solids under pressure and drying said liquid extract under suction below a filter after which said culinary solvent is added to said filtered and dried liquid content to form a mycelium-rich tincture. testing random samples of said mycelium-rich tincture for mycelium content and measuring the consistency of said mycelium-rich tincture for product quality; and packaging said mycelium-rich tincture for sublingual application instead of ingestion to bypass metabolic actions that can disrupt optimal effects of the nutrient rich mycelium suspended within the culinary solvent tincture for various health benefits to a consumer, including improved cognition and memory, energy and stamina, sleep and cardiovascular support, liver health, digestion and probiotic improvement, antioxidant and DNA support, detoxification, mood and stress improvement, nerve support and injury recovery.

6. The method for the production of the mycelium extract of claim 5, further comprising said substrate including a mixture of brown rice, corn, oats and rye wheat.

7. The method for the production of the mycelium extract of claim 5, further comprising said culinary solvent is food grade ethyl alcohol, within said tincture. culinary solvent, food grade acids or a combination thereof, to break down and extract said mycelia from the mash;

8. The method for the production of the mycelium extract of claim 5, further comprising: said substrate including, a mixture of brown rice, corn, oats and rye wheat; and said culinary solvent is food grade ethyl alcohol said tincture. a culinary solvent, food grade acids or a combination thereof, to break down and extract said mycelia from the mash;

9. The method for the production of the mycelium extract of claim 5, said testing ensuring the content of said mycelium-rich tincture for purity, effectiveness and content of the desired mycelium comprising: liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF) used to identify major metabolites, including mycelium in the extract solutions; reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) is for peptide and protein separation and is most compatible with mass spectrometry, providing separation of mixed peptides and proteins at attomolar levels for further analysis, which is exceptionally complimentary for use with LC-QTOF; and electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight (ESI-QTOF), which is another mass spectrometry tool used to ionize proteins in solution, wherein said LC-QTOF is used to compare the sample product with known special database analysis for content, RP-HPLC achieving characterization of chemical components, and ESI-QTOF tandem mass spectrometry to analyze precursor ions.

Description

IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0013] Mushrooms are a fungal organism that comprises three basic partsthe fruiting part, or the edible portion is some mushrooms, the spores which are the equivalent for seeds in plants which are responsible for reproduction, and the mycelium, which are the equivalent of roots. There is a dispute over which portion, the fruiting body or the mycelium, when consumed, provide the most health benefits to humans. This patent does not address that dispute. It merely addresses the novel process for the extracting compounds from mycelium in a culture growth medium for the purpose of producing a tincture for sub-lingual dosing for those consumers who believe in the health benefit of such consumption.

[0014] Regarding other non-consumable beneficial uses of the extracted mycelium, in addition to beneficial health effects when ingested, include use as a meat alternative, especially ground meat products, for decomposition of pollutants, including plastics, hydrocarbons, unrefined oils, and even some nuclear wastes, and as an alternative building material or structural fabric, including synthetic leather, commercial packaging, insulation, building blocks, wall tiles and particle boards. As indicated above, the process comprises the following simple steps which will be further expanded below. The steps within the process are cook, sterilize, inoculate, culture, harvest, process, filtration and test.

[0015] In the first step in the production of food grade mycelium, the substrate is created, which can be varied. In this process, it is preferred based upon prior experimentation, that the most productive substrate is produced from brown rice, corn, rye wheat and oats, which are cooked to include an adequate moisture content for mushroom growth. The cooked substrate, which is now sterile, is placed in a sterilized clear-walled canning vessel having rubber injection ports and pressure vents.

[0016] Sterilization of the vessel occurs using both heat and pressure to eliminate competing organic organisms, including mold, bacteria and unwanted spores, with the above pressure vents further providing a regulated internal vessel pressure. Inoculation is conducted through the rubber ports in the vessel by delivering a liquid mushroom spore through liquid syringes, after which the vessel, substrate and the liquid spore content is grown and matured in a controlled environment until the cultured mycelia have obtained a desired growth within the substrate, visible through the clear walls of the vessel. This growth ideally should take from two weeks to six months depending on the strain variation. The culture is obtained from the inoculated spore growth by producing enzymes that break down fibers and starches in the substrate to produce highly nutritive compounds. In addition to time, this portion of the process takes correct ambient temperature suited for the type of fungus and total darkness.

[0017] After the desired cultured growth is obtained, the processing phase begins. This processing occurs once the vessels are fully cultured and/or matured by exposure to natural light and air for specified periods to promote acceleration of medicinal and useful compounds prior to harvest. Purified water is added to the culture to produce a mash. The mash is placed into an ultrasonic extractor where either ice or more water is added, depending on the strain and growth medium compounds. Additionally, an antioxidant, culinary solvents, food grade acids or a combination there of to create an enzymatic chitin dissolution to thereby extract all medicinal and useful compounds contained in the mycelium. Once this mash composition is blended, the ultrasound extraction takes place.

[0018] The ultrasonic extraction process uses a cavitation effect created by high frequency vibration in the liquid medium containing the mash compounds. The microscopic bubbles created by the cavitation process implode and burst cells rapidly and with great force. This force is so strong, the bursting bubbles are commonly used to clean precious metals and car parts, so its effect on the soft compounds within the mash are violent and break down the mash components over a period of 30 minutes while keeping the process at the desired low temperatures to prevent unwanted oxidation or decarboxylation of medicinal and useful compounds.

[0019] Filtration follows the ultrasonic extraction wherein the extracted contents are pressed to remove the nutrient rich liquid compounds from the remaining solids. The liquid is then submitted to vacuum filtering process. The culinary solvent, antioxidants, and food grade acids may be used as extraction and preservation agents, again dependent upon the strained and filtered content. Application as a tincture under the tongue is recommended to bypass metabolic actions that could disrupt the optimal effects of the compounds found in the mycelium that are suspended within the tincture solution, and to offer rapid delivery and onset of medicinal and useful compounds. The mycelium-rich tincture is packaged in a sterile manner and appropriate for liquid contents.

[0020] The final process stage is testing by an independent third-party laboratory, which tests random samples of the product per batch to ensure the quality and safety of the product, and for consistent identified chemical constituents. These testing procedures ensure the content of the tincture for purity, effectiveness and content of the desired mycelium. Liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF) is used to identify major metabolites, including mycelium in the extract solutions. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) is a preferred method for peptide and protein separation and is most compatible with mass spectrometry, providing separation of mixed peptides and proteins at attomolar levels for further analysis, and is very complimentary for use with LC-QTOF, as well as electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight (ESI-QTOF), which is another mass spectrometry tool used to ionize proteins in solution. This testing including LC-QTOF to compare the sample product with known special database analysis for content, with RP-HPLC achieving characterization of chemical components and ESI-QTOF tandem mass spectrometry to analyze precursor ions.

[0021] This testing is divided into two parts. First, the mycelium strains are individually tested to confirm the chemical constituents and desired major which are noted for metabolite name, observed retention time, abundances and the precursor mass/ion ratio of the detected compounds, as noted in the preferred testing methods for random production analysis. The content analysis and measurement of the targeted content also maintains compliance standards for local, state and federal labeling standards.

[0022] The second testing includes in-house shelf stability and beta testing to explore other complimentary health benefits. It is unknown just how many different health benefits the consumption of refined mycelium tincture bypassing the normal digestive routes are possible. The product is known to be safe when grown and prepared from safe fungi, so it does not appear that any negative health benefits are presented. To date, the best results are known from testimonials from those who have sought alternative health benefits when traditional western medicine has failed to cure or reduce health issues, such testimonials giving account of the unanticipated results of this product derived from the claimed processing methods.

[0023] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.