Exploring Mycoprotein Potential: Assessing Biomass Yield and Quality Using Spent Biomass.

The growing challenges of climate change and global food security have driven the search for sustainable protein sources, such as mycoprotein.

Mycoprotein is derived from edible fungi and offers a promising alternative to traditional animal-based proteins with significant health and environmental benefits.

This research will evaluate the potential of selected species and strains of edible fungi in terms of biomass yield and nutritional composition.

To achieve this, the impact of chosen substrates like spent brewer's grain and spent algal biomass, along with testing parameters such as pH, temperature, agitation, reactor type, media components, and substrate concentration will be explored during the cultivation period.

The total protein, amino acid profile, and safety will be further evaluated, particularly concerning mycotoxin production by performing ICP-EOS and HPLC analysis to assess the overall quality of the product.

Ultimately, this research aims to identify the most suitable fungi for sustainable protein production in the hope of contributing to sustainable food systems addressing both health and environmental challenges.