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FUNGI – THE PROTEIN OF THE FUTURE
At Mycorena, we produce ingredients for food products by using filamentous fungi in a fermentation process. We are staunch believers in the amazing potential and power of filamentous fungi. Judging by the increasing demand for our products and know-how, we are not the only ones.
What are filamentous fungi? -
Promyc is our flagship product. Our mycoprotein is produced through fermentation, a technique that has been around for millennia but that we improve with state-of-the-art technology and know-how.Â
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STEP 1
SUBSTRATE & FUNGI PREPARATION
The fermentation substrate is often raw material from tuber crops or side streams from food industries that can be used for custom solutions. The substrate is prepared to optimise the efficiency of the fermentation process. Preparation depends largely on the side-stream type and has been optimised at lab- and pre-pilot scale earlier.Â
A small volume of our proprietary fungi starter culture is added to kick-start the fermentation process.
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STEP 2
FERMENTATION & BIOMASS PRODUCTION
In our custom-designed bioreactors, we provide the fungi with the optimum growth conditions in a highly controlled environment. The fermentation parameters are designed so that during the next 48h, the exponentially growing fungi consume up to 95% of nutrients available in the substrate. These nutrients are turned into protein- and fibre-rich biomass. At the end of the fermentation, the starter culture has grown to more than 10 000 times its original size.
Our filamentous fungi grow in a highly branched network, called mycelium. This growth characteristic is what gives the final product its pleasant texture.
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STEP 3
DOWNSTREAM PROCESSING
After fermentation, the fungal biomass is separated from the remaining liquid, which has been depleted of most of its organic loading.
The fresh fungal biomass is processed according to the desired application. Characteristics such as nutrient composition, texture, water content or other parameters can be modulated and customised for the final product.
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STEP 4
PRODUCT FORMULATION
Rigorous quality control with various analytical methods ensures the consistently high quality of our product from start to finish.
When Promyc leaves our fermentation facilities it is ready to be turned into the desired food products. Promyc can be utilised as a complete vegan protein on its own, or combined with plant-based och animal protein in hybrid products.Â
