Assessing The Impact Of Manipulation Of Fermentation Broth On The Texture, Flavor, And Nutritional Quality Of Fungal Biomass At Bench-Top And Lab Scale

Filamentous fungi are versatile organisms with diverse applications in both biotechnology and food technology, forming the basis for products from bread to whole-cut meat replacements. Optimizing the growth of fungal mycelium is critical to producing consistent, high-quality biomass.

This application note explores how manipulation of the fermentation broth impacts the yield, nutritional quality, texture, and flavor of fungal biomass. Specifically, it assesses the effects of including exogenous Iron (Fe) and Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) in the growth media. The study used stirred tank bioreactors for large-scale production and compared the results to small-scale shake flask fermentations under the same conditions.

Key findings show that the inclusion of Fe and B12 led to a significant increase in the bioaccumulation of both nutrients in the fungal mycelium, with bioreactor production yielding an even higher concentration than shake flasks. Furthermore, varying the nutrient composition was found to influence both the texture and flavor profiles of the final product.

Discover the role of media optimization and the utility of stirred tank bioreactors for producing nutritionally enhanced fungal biomass with favorable sensory attributes. Read the full application note to learn more.