October 11, 2023, by pczmj
Fungi alternate options may diversify sustainable sources of protein to feed the world
This submit is by Professor Paul Dyer, Professor of Fungal Biology on the College of Nottingham.
Our meals system feeds 8 billion individuals every day, however this comes at ever growing environmental prices by way of land, water, greenhouse gasoline emissions, and biodiversity loss. With the rising international inhabitants and hovering demand for protein, there’s a clear want for complementary sources of proteins apart from meat. Numerous different (‘alt.’) sources have been steered reminiscent of plant-based foodstuffs, so-called ‘single-cell’ proteins from microorganisms grown in fermenters, cultivated meat grown from cells, and even bugs. Right here, we argue for the advantages of microorganisms for manufacturing of alt. proteins, and contemplate some challenges and future views.
There are a number of established methods for the manufacturing of different proteins by way of development of microorganisms, significantly fungi. This may contain development and harvest of the entire fungal mycelium to provide ‘mycoprotein’, reminiscent of in manufacturing of Quorn, a meat substitute offered globally. In parallel, fungi can be utilized to ferment substrates to transform them into extra nutritionally wealthy merchandise (e.g. protein content material and flavour), reminiscent of the usage of Tempeh manufacturing in Asian nations. It may be argued that the fungal kingdom (each filamentous fungi and yeasts) is a perfect goal for alt. protein manufacturing primarily based on their traits. For one, there may be a longtime observe document of profitable and business protein manufacturing from fungi (e.g. Quorn and Pekilo) and protein-rich foodstuffs (e.g. Tempeh). Fungi can be cultivated comparatively simply, and plenty of species are suited to development in fermenters utilizing native worldwide feedstocks. Along with that, many species present extremely environment friendly substrate conversion to protein, with a excessive protein product with different advantages reminiscent of dietary roughage. Lastly, novel and improved fungal strains may be generated comparatively quickly utilizing classical and gene enhancing approaches, with many protocols described.
Nevertheless, there are challenges. The general protein content material of such fungal meals is decrease than present in meat. There are additionally manufacturing obstacles, reminiscent of the necessity to use highly-purified and dear development supplies to keep away from the induction of mycotoxins, and the issue of evolution of branching mutants in long-term fermentations disrupting the fibre-like construction. As well as, enzyme exercise of manufacturing strains will not be appropriate for utilisation of sure substrates.
However there are promising future prospects. There are already typical strategies to permit pressure enchancment of present fungal sources in order that they will turn out to be extra commercially viable and of even higher dietary worth. In parallel the fungal kingdom is estimated to comprise over 2 million species, of which now we have solely checked out a really small fraction. Due to this fact there may be nice untapped potential for the ‘subsequent technology’ of fungal mycoprotein species. Lastly, latest advances in strategies reminiscent of gene enhancing, high-throughput screening, AI and machine studying supply the chance to realize necessary analysis insights and supply thrilling alternatives for even higher use of fungi as protein sources sooner or later. That is important as microbially derived proteins are far more environmentally sustainable than animal-derived proteins and supply a long-term answer for rising populations worldwide.
Additional studying/listening:
Szepe KJ, Dyer PS, Johnson RI, Salter AM, Avery SV (2021). Affect of environmental and genetic components on meals protein high quality: present information and future instructions. Present Opinion in Meals Science 40: 94-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2021.02.005
Lymbery P (2015). Farmageddon: The True Value of Low cost Meat. Bloomsbury, UK.
Podcast on Fermented Meals: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/interviews/quorn-fermented-filamentous-fungi-we-can-eat
