Breaking the mould: Towards mushroom-producing fungi as high-quality protein source

This thesis evaluates fungal mycelium as a nutritious, palatable protein made via solid-state fermentation (mycelium plus substrate) or submerged fermentation (pure biomass). Using fungi from tempeh and koji production on rice and barley, solid-state fermentation produced 6–15% fungal biomass and raised protein quality (protein quality score up to 33%) mainly by increasing lysine. Extending to eight mushroom-forming fungal species, their mycelia showed higher protein content and quality than mushrooms and higher umami compound levels. Fermentation with mushroom-producing fungi improved protein quality, and boosted umami (taste) compounds in the cereals and legumes. When meat/fish in Dutch dinners were replaced with mycelium substitutes, the resulting meals provided substantial high-quality protein at a lower environmental impact, outperforming plant-based alternatives. Overall, this research shows that broadening the range fungi to include mushroom-producing species used in solid-state fermentation can unlock a wider portfolio of high-quality and umami-rich protein foods, while offering a low-tech, natural, and decentralised route to produce value-added proteins.