Mush Foods upcycles food waste to grow highly nutritious mycelium protein
Rehovot, Israel – FoodTech start-up Mush Foods, Ltd. is propelling the “meat-plus” movement to the mainstream of foodservice and food retail. A portfolio company of the Strauss Group Kitchen FoodTech Hub, Mush Foods developed its 50CUT mycelium protein ingredient solution to slash the animal protein content in meat products by 50%. Mushroom-derived 50CUT delivers a beefy bite of nutrient-dense protein to meat hybrid formulations that appeal to even the most devoted meat lovers.
“Our mushroom-derived products address the reality that there is a sizeable population of carnivores who are simply not willing to compromise on beef’s rich taste, nutritional boost, and textural experience,” explains Shalom Daniel, co-founder and CEO of Mush Foods. “50CUT is tailored specifically for hybrid meat products to satisfy flexitarians and carnivores with the unique sensation they crave, while easing the impact of global meat consumption.”
The Perfect Blend
Mush Foods’ 50CUT product tailored specifically for blending with beef is composed of three edible Mushroom mycelium species. “By combining different types of mycelium we can create a unique ingredient which perfectly pairs with the particular taste, formability, texture, aroma, and even color of beef,” notes Dan Levanon, PhD, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Mush Foods. “Once you add 50CUT to ground beef, it acts like a sponge and absorbs all the water, juiciness, fat, aromatic compounds, and assumes the visual appearance of the beef. From the full organoleptic and nutritional perspectives, 50CUT functions as the perfect complement to beef, enhancing its taste.”
The Technology Behind 50CUT
The mycelium network is a thread-like, root-like underground system of fungi. It breaks down forest plant matter and nourishes the mushrooms growing above ground as well as the surrounding ecosystem. Mush Foods’ pioneering proprietary technology for upcycling food side streams from local manufacturers was initially developed at the MIGAL Galilee Research Institute, Israel.
“We grow the mycelium above the ground in indoor farms using a highly efficient method,” explains Idan Pereman, PhD, co-founder and Mycology Director for Mush Foods. “Our fermentation platform recreates the underground growth conditions, without light and uses minimal land, energy, and water. After harvesting, we produce the mycelium in a 100% natural process, with gentle preparing and shaping, reducing liquid to create a final product which contains no additional ingredients, binders, additives or flavorings.”
50CUT serves flexitarians and carnivores
Mycelium is a whole protein, housing all the essential amino acids. It is rich in fiber and vitamins and contains no saturated fat, no cholesterol, and acts as a natural binder. Unlike other alternative proteins, mycelium possesses a natural umami flavor similar to meat, eliminating the need for masking agents or added flavors. In fact, it boosts the flavor of the meat product, while contributing to the meat-like texture and aroma. In formulations, the mycelium fibers maintain the volume of the ground meat matrix by absorbing the meat juices, further preserving flavor and making the addition of fillers such as texturized proteins unnecessary.
Circular economy
Mush Food’s mycelium ingredient requires no agricultural land and uses minimal energy and water. Cultivation does not depend on season or climate. “Our mycelium ingredient is grown from food waste, making it highly sustainable and exerting a minimum carbon footprint,” adds Daniel. “It also grows exceptionally fast: While it takes a year to grow a cow, and four months to grow soy, it takes only eight-ten days to grow mycelium, making it a highly scalable—and affordable—option.”
In a November 2022 pilot study of 4,000 participating employees drawn from various financial institutions in New York, Mush Foods’ 50CUT hybrid beef and mycelium burger scored the highest out of 11 main dish options.
“The encouraging results reflect a consumer demand for this kind of alternative,” adds Daniel. “To make a true impact, the product must benefit consumers and food companies as well as restaurateurs. All are attuned to evolving food trends and do not want to compromise when seeking quality alternatives that are affordable, nutritious, tasty, and kind to the planet, Mush Foods ticks all the right boxes.”
Mush Foods will be featured at the Future Food Tech event in San Francisco on March 2023, where Daniel will participate in a panel discussion and 50CUT products will be available for tasting.
About Mush Foods
After 15 years of dedicated R&D at the MIGAL Galilee Research Institute, innovation, and business development expert Shalom Daniel founded Mush Foods in 2021, together with Dan Levanon, PhD, head of the agricultural biotechnology research group at MIGAL and a 30-year veteran in fungi research, plus Idan Pereman, PhD, an expert in molecular biology who specializes in edible mushroom cultivation. Composed of top food technologists, agronomists with mycology expertise, sustainability experts, three highly skilled chefs focusing on culinary and sensory aspects, and R&D and food engineers from the biggest multinational food companies, Mush Foods’ multidisciplinary team is bringing the next generation of nutritious, plant-based solutions to the food industry. The start-up is a portfolio company of The Kitchen FoodTech Hub, part of the Strauss -Group.
