15SAF-IP Functional mycoprotein from the Quorn fermentation process as novel sustainable ingredient
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Planned Impact
A number of economic, societal and environmental benefits have been identified that could occur as a consequence of this project.
a. Economic
The economic benefits from this project are potentially highly significant. The industrial partners in the consortium will benefit from new non-animal food ingredients that can be used in their products and processes. Marlow Foods will have access to a new revenue stream producing functional mycoproteins for food uses. Mars Chocolate will benefit from novel mycoprotein ingredients that have the potential to act as sugar replacers and high foaming capacity ingredients.
b. Environmental
The Quorn mycoprotein process has already been shown to be an environmentally friendly process. This project will contribute further to the environmental and sustainability credentials of mycoprotein by developing methods to separate protein from the waste from the fermenter, leading to a lowering of the waste sent for disposal.
c. Societal
Society as whole will benefit from a move away from animal protein to functional mycoprotein, which has been demonstrated to have health benefits. In particular, the opportunity for the development of more palatable vegan foods based on replacement of milk or egg proteins with mycoprotein will be investigated. If successfully implemented, the project also has the potential for significant job creation in regions close to the Quorn plant. Success in the project will lead to the incorporation of a waste protein separation process into the overall Quorn process. In addition, the decision to produce functional fungal proteins using the optimised fermentation process would require building a new fermenter for increased capacity. Marlow Foods have estimated that this could results in expansion of the company leading to the creation of up to
100 jobs.
d. Public engagement
Further societal benefits can be accrued through public engagement. The area of food and health is of great interest to the general public. The opportunity exists for us to connect with the public through the Edinburgh Beltane Beacon for Public Engagement in Science an organisation (www.edinburghbeltane.net). The annual Edinburgh International Science Festival offers huge scope for promoting the results of this project to a wider general audience. Both HWU and UoE are members of the Edinburgh Beltane. To reach members of the public who would not normally attend science fairs, but nonetheless have an interest in the health implications of what they eat, we would explore using other events such as the Royal Highland Agricultural show as a showcase for food and health related research.
e. Dissemination and collaboration
Dissemination of research on functional fungal proteins that may be interest to other academics and industrial sectors will be achieved through publication in high impact peer-reviewed journals and presentation at international conferences. The researchers in this proposal have a track record of publication across a wide range of journal subject areas (food chemistry, physical chemistry, colloid chemistry and soft-matter physics) with this breadth of coverage ensuring outreach to a wide range of secondary beneficiaries. The academics have the ideal fit in terms of their complementary scientific expertise, and excellent track record of engaging with industry. Stephen Euston (SE) and Paul Clegg (PC) lead a joint translational research project with industry on novel food proteins. SE is PI or CoI on three government and industry funded projects for the food industry, and is joint PI on a recently awarded EUH2020 grant. PC has been a Royal Society Industry Research Fellow with Syngenta and has contributed as PI/CoI to a number of industry related projects. He is Director of the Edinburgh Complex Fluid Partnership (ECFP, www.edinburghcomplexfluids.com), which is the industrial collaboration vehicle of the University Soft Condensed Matter Group.
a. Economic
The economic benefits from this project are potentially highly significant. The industrial partners in the consortium will benefit from new non-animal food ingredients that can be used in their products and processes. Marlow Foods will have access to a new revenue stream producing functional mycoproteins for food uses. Mars Chocolate will benefit from novel mycoprotein ingredients that have the potential to act as sugar replacers and high foaming capacity ingredients.
b. Environmental
The Quorn mycoprotein process has already been shown to be an environmentally friendly process. This project will contribute further to the environmental and sustainability credentials of mycoprotein by developing methods to separate protein from the waste from the fermenter, leading to a lowering of the waste sent for disposal.
c. Societal
Society as whole will benefit from a move away from animal protein to functional mycoprotein, which has been demonstrated to have health benefits. In particular, the opportunity for the development of more palatable vegan foods based on replacement of milk or egg proteins with mycoprotein will be investigated. If successfully implemented, the project also has the potential for significant job creation in regions close to the Quorn plant. Success in the project will lead to the incorporation of a waste protein separation process into the overall Quorn process. In addition, the decision to produce functional fungal proteins using the optimised fermentation process would require building a new fermenter for increased capacity. Marlow Foods have estimated that this could results in expansion of the company leading to the creation of up to
100 jobs.
d. Public engagement
Further societal benefits can be accrued through public engagement. The area of food and health is of great interest to the general public. The opportunity exists for us to connect with the public through the Edinburgh Beltane Beacon for Public Engagement in Science an organisation (www.edinburghbeltane.net). The annual Edinburgh International Science Festival offers huge scope for promoting the results of this project to a wider general audience. Both HWU and UoE are members of the Edinburgh Beltane. To reach members of the public who would not normally attend science fairs, but nonetheless have an interest in the health implications of what they eat, we would explore using other events such as the Royal Highland Agricultural show as a showcase for food and health related research.
e. Dissemination and collaboration
Dissemination of research on functional fungal proteins that may be interest to other academics and industrial sectors will be achieved through publication in high impact peer-reviewed journals and presentation at international conferences. The researchers in this proposal have a track record of publication across a wide range of journal subject areas (food chemistry, physical chemistry, colloid chemistry and soft-matter physics) with this breadth of coverage ensuring outreach to a wide range of secondary beneficiaries. The academics have the ideal fit in terms of their complementary scientific expertise, and excellent track record of engaging with industry. Stephen Euston (SE) and Paul Clegg (PC) lead a joint translational research project with industry on novel food proteins. SE is PI or CoI on three government and industry funded projects for the food industry, and is joint PI on a recently awarded EUH2020 grant. PC has been a Royal Society Industry Research Fellow with Syngenta and has contributed as PI/CoI to a number of industry related projects. He is Director of the Edinburgh Complex Fluid Partnership (ECFP, www.edinburghcomplexfluids.com), which is the industrial collaboration vehicle of the University Soft Condensed Matter Group.
Publications
Lonchamp J
(2019)
Functional fungal extracts from the Quorn fermentation co-product as novel partial egg white replacers
in European Food Research and Technology
Lonchamp J
(2022)
Functional enhancement of whey protein concentrate and egg by partial denaturation and co-processing
in Food Bioscience
Lonchamp J
(2019)
Foaming, emulsifying and rheological properties of extracts from a co-product of the Quorn fermentation process
in European Food Research and Technology
Lonchamp J
(2020)
Sonicated extracts from the Quorn fermentation co-product as oil-lowering emulsifiers and foaming agents
in European Food Research and Technology
Lonchamp J
(2022)
Mycoprotein as novel functional ingredient: Mapping of functionality, composition and structure throughout the Quorn fermentation process
in Food Chemistry
| Description | We have discovered that one of the components from the Quorn waste stream has emulsification performance which far outstrips that of whey protein. This is in the case of the stabilization of high internal phase emulsions made up of oil droplets. This could be of value in a variety of food and personal care products. |
| Exploitation Route | Consortium partners are exploring possible applications in snack foods and elsewhere. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | There are currently discussions between Marlow Foods and Heriot Watt University concerning the application of one aspect of this research. I was not specifically involved in that part of the project. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |