Biology subjects

Zwinkels, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Zwinkels, J..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Solid-state fermentation with mushroom mycelium elevates plant protein quality and umami taste

Solid-state fungal fermentation (SSFF) offers a low-tech, low-energy, and minimal processing method to enhance the protein content and quality of foods. This study evaluates the potential of SSFF executed with mycelium of edible basidiomycetes to improve both nutritional and sensory qualities of brown rice, brewers spent grain (BSG), and lupin. The conventional tempeh fungus, Rhizopus microsporus var. oligosporus, was used as control. Different substrate-fungus combinations varied in impact on flavour and protein quality. SSFF improved the protein quality and umami taste of brown rice and mainly improved in umami taste of lupin, while fermentation of BSG with basidiomycetes even decreased protein quality. Basidiomycetous SSFF products exhibited higher umami potential, with equivalent umami concentrations (EUC) reaching 159 g MSG-eq/100 g DW, surpassing the values found for R. microsporus-fermented products. In terms of substrates, the protein content increased most in brown rice fermentations, while the EUC and protein quality increased most in lupin. Protein quality and content increased more in basidiomycetes, indicated by the up to 35.1% increase in the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score of the limiting amino acid lysine and a 36.4% rise in utilizable amino acids. Basidiomycetous SSFF thus offers a promising approach to upgrade low-quality plant proteins into more palatable and nutritious foods. Highlights- Plant foods were fermented with basidiomycetes and conventional tempeh fungus. (81) - Basidiomycetes improve umami compounds more than conventional fermentation fungus. (85) - Basidiomycetes improve protein quality more than conventional food fungus. (84) - Increase in total utilizable amino acids requires proper substrate-fungus pairing. (85) - Basidiomycota harbours untapped phylogenetic diversity for food fermentation. (79)

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

The potential of mycelium from mushroom-producing fungi in alternative protein production: a focus on fungal growth, metabolism, and nutrition

The growing need for high-quality protein with minimal environmental impact necessitates the expansion of alternative proteins on the market. One area with great opportunity for expansion lies in the phylogenetic diversity of the fungal kingdom. Diversifying the use of fungal species, by assessing species from the phylum of mushroom-producing fungi (Basidiomycota) in solid-state fermentation, could open new avenues to foods with improved nutritional and sensorial properties. To assess these properties, we first determined the potential of basidiomycetes to ferment and colonize cereals and legumes. A phylogenetically diverse selection of eight species of basidiomycetes was analyzed on their radial growth speed and biomass yield. The best performing species were successfully fermented on brown rice (high starch), brewers spent grain (high fiber, high protein), and lupin (high protein, high fiber and high fat), and compared to Rhizopus microsporus var. oligosporus. Large variation in performance was observed between the different basidiomycetes on the three substrates in terms of biomass formation and metabolic behavior. The presence of an easily accessible carbon source, such as starch was needed to prevent deamination and thereby loss of valuable protein. With the correct formulation, basidiomycetes could fully ferment and colonize the substrate, thereby increasing the overall protein content and degrading the anti-nutritional factor phytic acid up to 80%. These results provide a methodology for screening of fungal species and substrates and demonstrate that basidiomycetous mycelia represent a promising source of phylogenetic diversity for novel food fermentations. Highlights- Brown rice, brewers spent grain, and lupin were fermented with basidiomycetes. - Readily available carbon prevents protein catabolism during fermentation. - Fungal growth was analysed visually, thermally and through metabolic indicators. - Basidiomycetes increased the protein content and reduced phytate more than Rhizopus.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Mycelium of mushroom-producing fungi as high-quality protein source

To achieve a more sustainable food system, reducing reliance on animal-based proteins is essential. Mycoprotein from mushroom-producing fungi (Basidiomycota) presents a promising yet underexplored alternative. Basidiomycetous mycelium combines the high protein quality of fungi with the sensory qualities of mushrooms. This study compares the mycelium of commercially cultivated and edible basidiomycetes to their fruiting bodies and to mycelium of Rhizopus microsporus var. oligosporus (tempeh fungus). Nutritional quality was assessed via protein content and PDCAAS, while sensory potential was analysed through equivalent umami concentration (EUC) and pyrazine levels. High-performing species surpassed the EUC of R. microsporus and fruiting bodies, reaching 301.0 g MSG-eq/100 g DW. Basidiomycetous mycelia exhibited superior protein quality (PDCAAS up to 1.20) and utilizable protein content (33.2 g/100 g DW), qualifying as an "Excellent protein source." Given the phylogenetic diversity of basidiomycetes, this study highlights the untapped potential of its mycelium as a high-quality protein source.

microbiology↗