Mycoprotein

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mycoprotein is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as: "the albuminoid which is the principal constituent of the protoplasm of the cell." "Myco-" is from the Greek word for "fungus".

Marlow Foods Ltd. says its Quorn brand of meat-free foods and Mycoscent brand of low-sodium flavorings are made from mycoprotein, though its usage differs from the dictionary definition. Proteins, including albumin, contain no dietary fibre, but their website says mycoprotein is a good source of it.

According to Marlow's website, "Mycoprotein is derived from Fusarium venenatum, from the fungi family, as are truffles, morel and other mushrooms, originally discovered growing in a field in Buckinghamshire in the United Kingdom." The specific fungus had previously been misidentified as Fusarium graminearum, which is often found in soil but can be found parasitizing wheat and other cereals.

It's often considered a more efficient source of protein than animal meats as it doubles its mass every five hours, unlike animals, which can take years to mature.

See Quorn for information on the manufacture of the Marlow Foods product, and the controversy surrounding its U.S. introduction.

[edit] External links

• Mycoscent