Mycoprotein Cell Wall Disruption for Non-Fibrous Texture
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of mycoprotein is costly due to high energy consumption, water usage, and plant operating costs, with a significant loss of product during heat treatment steps used to reduce RNA content, and it has limited applications beyond meat substitutes due to its fibrous structure.
Innovation Solution
A process involving fermentation of a carbohydrate-rich medium with filamentous fungi, followed by separation and mechanical disruption of mycoprotein cell walls to release cell contents without heat, reducing RNA content and altering the product's texture to make it suitable for various foodstuffs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If heat treatment is applied to reduce RNA content, then RNA content is reduced, but mycoprotein loss increases and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal treatment process with a mechanical cell disruption process. By using mechanical forces (such as high-pressure homogenization, ultrasonic treatment, or bead milling) to disrupt cell walls and release RNA, the invention eliminates the need for heat treatment, thereby preventing mycoprotein loss and reducing energy consumption while still achieving RNA content reduction to below 2% w/w.
2Quantity of substance
If heat treatment is applied to reduce RNA content, then RNA content is reduced, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the time-consuming heat treatment process with rapid mechanical cell disruption methods. These mechanical processes can reduce RNA content in a fraction of the time required for thermal treatment, thereby reducing overall processing time while maintaining effective RNA reduction to below 2% w/w.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional fermentation process is used, then mycoprotein is produced, but production cost increases due to high energy and water usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the energy-intensive heat treatment step with mechanical cell disruption processes that consume less energy. By eliminating the thermal processing requirement and using mechanical forces instead, the invention significantly reduces energy consumption while maintaining effective RNA reduction and mycoprotein production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing parameters from thermal conditions to mechanical conditions. By shifting from high-temperature heat treatment to mechanical forces at ambient or controlled temperatures, the invention reduces energy input requirements while achieving the same RNA reduction objective.
4Shape
If mycoprotein retains fibrous structure, then meat-like texture is achieved, but application versatility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical cell disruption to break down the fibrous hyphal structure of mycoprotein into smaller segments and particles. This segmentation transforms the long filamentous structures (300-700 μm) into finer particles, enabling the mycoprotein to be incorporated into a broader range of food products beyond meat substitutes, including spreads, baked goods, and beverages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the structural dimension of mycoprotein from macroscopic fibrous networks to microscopic particles or cellular materials. This dimensional change from fibrous to particulate form expands the applicability of mycoprotein across diverse food formulations while the mechanical disruption process maintains functional properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process reduces RNA content to less than 2% w/w, minimizes biomass loss, and transforms mycoprotein into a non-fibrous form, making it more versatile and cost-effective for diverse food applications.
Implementation Method 1
fermenting the fermentation media to obtain a mixture comprising mycoprotein
Implementation Method 2
mechanically disrupting the cell walls of the mycoprotein in the mycoprotein phase thereby releasing at least some of the mycoprotein cell contents
Data Source
AI summary
There is described a process for producing at least one of mycoprotein and the components thereof, the process comprising: (i) providing a fermentation media suitable for producing mycoprotein; (ii) fermenting the fermentation media to obtain a mixture comprising mycoprotein; (iii) separating the mycoprotein from the mixture to obtain a mycoprotein phase; and (iv) mechanically disrupting the cell walls of the mycoprotein in the mycoprotein phase thereby releasing at least some of the mycoprotein cell contents. There is also described at least one of mycoprotein and the components thereof obtainable, obtained or directly obtained from the process. Further described is a composition comprising at least one of mycoprotein and the components thereof, wherein the composition is non-fibrous. The composition may comprise at least one of: protein obtained from mycoprotein, and amino acids derived from protein obtained from mycoprotein.