Since the 1970s, a strain of Fusarium venenatum cultivated by fermentation in bioreactors has produced what is now commercially known as mycoprotein — a non-meat protein source with a meat-like texture, produced at a fraction of the carbon and water footprint required by beef or chicken.
What's inside mycoprotein
A review of the available evidence describes mycoprotein as a food high in protein and fiber, and low in fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar — a profile that aligns with current dietary guidelines. The review also reports a potential favorable effect on cholesterol levels, muscle synthesis, and glucose and insulin control, although it notes that the incidence of allergic reactions, while it exists, remains exceptionally low according to the available systematic evidence.
A direct clinical trial
A randomized controlled trial in resistance-trained young men compared the muscle protein synthesis response after ingesting mycoprotein versus milk protein with equivalent leucine content. Mycoprotein stimulated muscle protein synthesis rates at rest and after exercise to a greater extent than milk protein, both in resting and exercised muscle — a finding that supports its viability as a functional protein source for muscle development.
Another piece of the alternative protein landscape
Mycoprotein is not a medicinal supplement nor a product derived from the species that Simbiosis cultivates for wellness purposes — it is, above all, a case study on how fungal biotechnology can provide concrete solutions to food sustainability, showing that the fungi kingdom has applications that go far beyond the cap and stem we usually recognize.
Informative note: this content describes published scientific evidence on mycoprotein as food; it does not constitute medical advice or substitute consultation with a healthcare professional.
References
- Finnigan TJA, Wall BT, Wilde PJ, Stephens FB, Taylor SL, Freedman MR. Mycoprotein: The Future of Nutritious Nonmeat Protein, a Symposium Review. Curr Dev Nutr. 2019;3(6):nzz021. PMID: 31187084. DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzz021
- Monteyne AJ, Coelho MOC, Porter C, et al. Mycoprotein ingestion stimulates protein synthesis rates to a greater extent than milk protein in rested and exercised skeletal muscle of healthy young men: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020;112(2):318-333. PMID: 32438401. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa092