What is mycoprotein—the meat made from fungi?

Despite being similar to beer fermentation, mycoprotein is harvested as a dough before being dried or cooked into its stringy, fibrous final form. The creation of mycoprotein paved the way for the proliferation of meat alternatives into the mainstream. 

Perhaps one of the most well-known meat alternative brands, Quorn champions the use of mycoprotein. Before the rise of plant-based diets, Quorn’s name was once synonymous with mock meats and vegetarian proteins. The company was the first to produce mycoprotein products, creating vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes. It patented its production methods in 1985, monopolising on mycoprotein. Meat alternatives in the forms of nuggets, burger patties, minced meat, and so on soon hit supermarket shelves. 

The expiry of Quorn’s mycoprotein patents marked the beginning of the mycoprotein industry, with other brands featuring the ingredient in their meat alternatives. Mycoprotein has even made its way into our backyards thanks to Ultimeat, a local biotech firm platforming vegetarian protein sources. 

See also: 7 tips to make healthier diet decisions in 2024
 

Despite the end of the mycoprotein monopoly, the function of meat substitutes in gastronomy is only beginning to be explored. In a first for our local dining scene, Nimbus Restaurant has curated a menu showcasing the versatility of Ultimeat’s homegrown mycoprotein. At the hands of the Malaysian biotech firm, mycoprotein is straying away from mock meat’s confinement to prepackaged, frozen fates and instead finds itself on the plates of casual fine dining restaurants as the hero protein of upscale contemporary dishes. 

I was able to preview the meat-free menu, and as a reformed vegan who is well-acquainted with mock meats, I can safely say that mycoprotein tastes no different to more familiar meat alternatives. Texturally, it is in no way similar to tofu, but reminiscent of readily available soy and plant-based substitutes.  

The first course saw king oyster mushrooms stuffed with mycoprotein crumbles and dressed with a tom kha reduction, a play on classic roast peppers filled with rice and minced meat. Nimbus Restaurant then reimagined its signature chicken terrine by instead highlighting mycoprotein, pairing it with turmeric, chilli and percik sauce. Mycoprotein’s flavour profile is mild and can take on the flavour of any marinade or aromatic it is doused in.

The most inventive use of the meat substitute proved in the menu’s palate cleanser—pineapple granita. Mycoprotein was turned into floss or desiccated threads almost indistinguishable from serunding or kerisik. Even the meal’s sweet course featured mycoprotein in a tuile placed on chocolate and hazelnut mousse.

To claim that mycoprotein is plant-based would be factually incorrect. Neither part of the plant nor animal kingdom, fungi exists in its own realm. To claim that mycoprotein is made solely from mushrooms would similarly curtail the complexities of this product. Mycoprotein is crafted from mycelium, the root-like foundations of fungi or mushrooms, not the mushroom itself. If mycoprotein was derived from apples, it would be made with the roots of the tree instead of the fruit. 

Mycoprotein is a nutritionally rich food. The laws of the food pyramid do not abide by mycoprotein, which conveniently joins two essential nutrients in one, for lack of a better term, superfood. As its name suggests, the fungi-based food is high in protein as well as fibre. Unlike traditional, animal-derived protein sources, mycoprotein is low in saturated fats and cholesterol. Adverse reactions to mycoprotein are also significantly less common than those caused by soy-based proteins and shellfish.

The production of mycoprotein is not the environmental nightmare livestock farming has proven to be, emitting 90 per cent less greenhouse gasses. 100 grams of currently available mycoprotein products can contain up to 21 grams of protein, while the same amount of rib eye steak contains 24 grams of protein. While more environmentally friendly than meat products, the environmental downsides to plant proteins cannot be overlooked. The cultivation of soy beans for tofu and tempeh has been linked to deforestation, carbon emissions, and excessive water use. 

Manmade and industrialised production processes may seem counterintuitive to sustainability efforts, but when plagued with an irreversible climate crisis and depleting natural resources, they may be the only way forward. As a result of environmental degradation and overpopulation, food scarcity is once again becoming a growing concern. For now, fusarium venenatum is a readily available resource, able to be endlessly cultivated in controlled conditions. It is safe to assume that mycoprotein could very well become the food of the future. 

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