EDIBLE FOODSTUFFS AND BIO REACTOR DESIGN

• US 20190059431A1
• Filed: 08/29/2018
• Published: 02/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fynder Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sustainable Bioproducts, Inc.
• Inventors: KOZUBAL, Mark A., MACUR, Richard E., AVNIEL, Yuval C., HAMILTON, Maximilian DeVane
• Granted Patent: US 11,464,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A23C 9/1203 Addition of, or treatment with, enzymes or microorganisms other than lactobacteriaceae
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/36 containing microorganisms or enzymes; containing paramedical or dietetical agents, e.g. vitamins characterised by the dairy products used A23G9/40
• CPC Class Codes: A23J 3/20 Proteins from microorganisms or unicellular algae
• CPC Class Codes: A23J 3/227 Meat-like textured foods meat extenders A23L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 29/065 Microorganisms addition of bacteria for nutritional purposes A23L33/135
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 31/00 Edible extracts or preparations of fungi; Preparation or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/195 Proteins from microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/208 Fungi extracts
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/00 Bioreactors or fermenters specially adapted for specific uses digesters for manure A01C3/023; apparatus for PCR B01L7/52; destroying or transforming solid waste B09B3/00; methods for genetic engineering C12N15/00, C12Q1/68; nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/24 Gas permeable parts
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/34 Internal compartments or partitions
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/40 Manifolds; Distribution pieces fluid transfer means B01L3/563
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/14 Fungi culture of mushrooms A01G18/00; as new plants A01H15/00; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/145 Fungal isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/77 Fusarium

Abstract

Methods of production of edible filamentous fungal biomat formulations are provided as standalone protein sources and/or protein ingredients in foodstuffs as well as a one-time use or repeated use self-contained biofilm-biomat reactor comprising a container with at least one compartment and placed within the compartment(s), a feedstock, a fungal inoculum, a gas-permeable membrane, and optionally a liquid nutrient medium.

Claims

1. A formulation of edible filamentous fungi comprising edible filamentous fungal particles, wherein the edible filamentous fungal particles comprise unbroken filamentous fungal filaments, broken filamentous fungal filaments, or combinations thereof, wherein the edible fungal particles are isolated from edible filamentous fungus biomats.

2. The formulation of claim 1, wherein the filamentous fungus is Fusarium oxysporum strain MK7 (ATCC Accession Deposit No. PTA-10698).

3. The formulation of claim 1, wherein the filamentous fungus is selected from the group consisting of Agaricus bisporus (crimini and white), Boletus edulis (porcinini), Cantarellus cibarius (chantrelle), Calvatia gigantea (giant puffball), Cyclocybe aegerita (velvet piopinni), Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi), Grifola frondosa (maitake), Morchella species (Morel), Hypsizygus tessellatus (clamshell), Hypsizygus ulmarius (elm oyster), Laetiporus species (chicken of the woods), Lentinula edodes (shiitake), Pleurotus eryngii (trumpet royale), Pleurotus ostreatus (pearl oyster and blue oyster), Pholiota microspora (forest nameko), Sparassis crispa (cauliflower), and Tuber species (truffles).

4. The formulation of claim 1, wherein the formulation is a liquid.

5. The formulation of claim 1, wherein the formulation is a solid.

6. The formulation of claim 1, wherein the formulation is a paste, a flour, an aerated mass or a firm mass.

7. A foodstuff comprising the edible filamentous fungal formulation of claim 1.

8. The foodstuff according to claim 7, wherein the filamentous fungus is Fusarium oxysporum strain MK7 (ATCC Accession Deposit No. PTA-10698).

9. The foodstuff according to claim 7, wherein the filamentous fungus is selected from the group consisting of Agaricus bisporus (crimini and white), Boletus edulis (porcinini), Cantarellus cibarius (chantrelle), Calvatia gigantea (giant puffball), Cyclocybe aegerita (velvet piopinni), Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi), Grifola frondosa (maitake), Morchella species (Morel), Hypsizygus tessellatus (clamshell), Hypsizygus ulmarius (elm oyster), Laetiporus species (chicken of the woods), Lentinula edodes (shiitake), Pleurotus eryngii (trumpet royale), Pleurotus ostreatus (pearl oyster and blue oyster), Pholiota microspora (forest nameko), Sparassis crispa (cauliflower), and Tuber species (truffles).

10. The foodstuff according to claim 7, which is a meat substitute, meat extender, bread, pasta, pastry, dumpling, jerky, snack, beverage, yogurt, or dessert.

11. The foodstuff according to claim 10, wherein the meat substitute simulates the texture of a burger, a sausage, a hot dog, a chicken nugget, or a fish filet.

12. The foodstuff according to claim 10, wherein the dessert is a mousse, pudding, frozen dessert or an ice cream analogue.

13. The foodstuff according to claim 10, wherein the dessert is a confection or candy.

14. A method of preparing a foodstuff comprising contacting the formulation of claim 1 with one or more other ingredients.

15. A method of preparing the edible filamentous fungal formulation of claim 1 comprising

(a) inoculating a liquid growth medium containing a carbon source with microconidia, spores, or mycelia of an edible filamentous fungus;

(b) incubating the inoculated growth medium at room temperature;

(c) growing a cohesive filamentous fungal biomat via surface fermentation on the inoculated growth media;

(d) harvesting the cohesive filamentous fungal biomat; and

(e) reducing the size of the filamentous fungal biomat to produce at least two edible filamentous fungal particles.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein harvesting the cohesive filamentous fungal biomat occurs on a continuous basis.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising replacing the liquid growth media during the incubation step on an occasional or continuous basis.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the carbon source is glycerol, starch, corn steep liquor, acid whey, milk serum, sweet whey, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, starch derivatives, wheat steep liquor, industrial liquor, food refinery products/waste streams, or combinations thereof.

19. A method of preparing the formulation of claim 3 comprising

(a) surface sterilizing the fruiting body of the filamentous fungus;

(b) reducing the size of the sterilized fruiting body of the filamentous fungus;

(c) surface sterilizing the ground fruiting body of the filamentous fungus;

(d) optionally repeating steps (b) and (c);

(e) inoculating a liquid growth medium containing a carbon source with the sterilized ground fruiting body of the filamentous fungus;

(f) incubating the inoculated growth medium at room temperature;

(g) growing a cohesive filamentous fungal biomat;

(h) harvesting the cohesive filamentous fungal biomat; and

(i) reducing the size of the filamentous fungal biomat to produce at least two edible filamentous fungal particles.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the carbon source comprises glycerol.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the incubation period is 10-20 days.

22. A self-contained aseptically sealed bioreactor system comprising a container, a feedstock, a fungal inoculum, at least one gas-permeable membrane, a seal, and optionally a liquid nutrient medium.

23. The self-contained bioreactor system according to claim 22, wherein the container comprises a plurality of growth compartments.

24. The self-contained bioreactor system according to claim 22, wherein the at least one gas-permeable membrane is calibrated for a specific gas.

25. The self-contained bioreactor system according to claim 22, wherein the at least one gas-permeable membrane is a polymeric material.

26. The self-contained bioreactor system according to claim 22, wherein the feedstock is naturally occurring or synthesized urine, food waste, industrial waste and by-products, agricultural waste and by-products, glycerol, starch, starch derivatives, wheat steep liquor, plant material, algae, cyanobacteria, food processing waste and by-products, hydrolysate of plant materials, waste oils and by-products, industrial liquor, food refinery products/waste streams, and/or combinations thereof.

27. The self-contained bioreactor system according to claim 22, wherein the fungal inoculum comprises an ascomycetes or basidiomycetes fungus and/or combinations thereof.

28. The self-contained bioreactor system according to claim 27, wherein the ascomycetes fungus is selected from the group consisting of Fusarium oxysporum strain MK7, Fusarium venenatum, Fusarium avenaceum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Neurospora crassa, and/or combinations thereof.

29. The self-contained bioreactor system according to claim 22, wherein the container has a manifold design and/or a baffling system.

30. The self-contained bioreactor system according to claim 22, wherein the container is produced from one or more consumable feedstocks.