Mush Foods, a portfolio company of the Strauss Group Kitchen FoodTech Hub, announced the successful development of a mycelial protein ingredient solution called 50CUT that reduces the animal protein content of meat products by 50%. His mushroom-derived 50CUT offers a ‘beef bite’, a hybrid formula of nutrient-dense protein and meat that will appeal to even the most devoted meat lover.
Shalom Daniel, co-founder and CEO of Mush Foods, said: “50CUT is specifically tailored for hybrid meat products to satisfy the unique sensory cravings of flexitarians and carnivores while mitigating the impact of global meat consumption.”
a blend of 3 edible mushroom mycelium species
This product consists of three edible mushroom mycelium species. “By combining different types of mycelium, we can create unique ingredients that perfectly match the specific taste, moldability, texture, aroma and even color of beef,” says Mush Foods co-author. Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Dan Levanon, Ph.D. “To ground beef he adds 50 CUT and it acts like a sponge, absorbing all the moisture, juiciness, fat and aromatics, giving it the appearance of beef. From a complete organoleptic and nutritional standpoint.” , 50CUT is the perfect complement to beef and enhances its flavor.”
Mycelium networks are filamentous, root-like underground systems of fungi. It breaks down forest vegetation and effectively nourishes above-ground mushrooms and surrounding ecosystems. The technology to upcycle food by-products from local manufacturers owned by Mush Foods was originally developed at his MIGAL Galilee Research Institute in Israel.
Dr. Idan Pereman, co-founder and director of mycology at Mush Foods, explains: “Our fermentation platform replicates underground growing conditions without the use of light and uses minimal land, energy and water. We use extensive preparation and molding to reduce liquids and create a final product that contains no additional ingredients, binders, additives or flavorings.”
why hybrid?
A hybrid combination of meat and plant proteins can help address the formulation challenges currently facing the plant-based sector.
Despite new product developments and strong promotions by retailers, the taste and price of meat-free products remain popular. A major barrier for shoppers.
Amir Zaidman, Chief Business Officer of The Kitchen FoodTech Hub, said: He argued that Mush Foods’ solution addresses these challenges and could be widely adopted. “Having a million people cut their meat consumption by 50% is much more likely to have an impact than 100,000 people giving up meat altogether. I’m sure it will be a changer.”
Mycelium can further claim nutritional qualifications. It is a complete protein that houses all essential amino acids. It is rich in fiber and vitamins, contains no saturated fat or cholesterol, and acts as a natural binder. Unlike other alternative proteins, mycelium has a natural meat-like umami taste, eliminating the need for masking agents or additional flavors.
Mush Foods emphasized enhancing the flavor of meat products while contributing to a meat-like texture and aroma. It retains more flavor and eliminates the need for added fillers such as structured proteins.
circular economyna
Mush Foods mycelium ingredients require no farmland and use minimal energy and water. Cultivation is independent of season and climate. “Our mycelium component grows from food waste, which makes it highly sustainable and minimizes our carbon footprint,” added Daniel. “It also grows very fast. It takes a year to grow a cow, four months to grow a soybean, but only eight to 10 days to grow a mycelium, so it is highly scalable and It’s an affordable option.”
Mush Foods told FoodNavigator that it mixes several types of food waste and adjusts the ingredients to create an optimal medium for each different mycelial strain. The main ingredients are sidestreams from the production of coffee, beer, soybeans, and corn.The patent-pending substrate was developed by Mush Foods co-founder Professor Dan Levanon of the Migal – Galilee Research Institute in his It is the result of over 15 years of research.
But would the end consumer be put off by the fact that the mycelial component is produced from food waste? You can be confident that you will get a clean, safe substrate free of manure and other manure frequently found in the agricultural industry,” we said.
Mush Foods 50CUT Hybrid Beef and Mycelium Burger Scores Highest Out of 11 Entree Options in November 2022 Pilot Survey of 4,000 Participating Employees Selected from Various Financial Institutions in New York Did.
“The encouraging results reflect consumer demand for this type of alternative,” said Daniel. “To have real impact, a product must benefit consumers, food companies and restaurateurs. , Mush Foods ticks all the right boxes because we don’t want to compromise when looking for a high-quality, earth-friendly alternative.”
Mush Foods’ GTM strategy will first expand into foodservice in the United States before expanding to Europe, with retail planned for later stages. 50CUT items are the first product line and “new exciting categories” are on the way.
