Food materials comprising filamentous fungal particles and membrane bioreactor design

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415983-B2
Application number	US-202017434577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2020
Priority date	Feb 27, 2019
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

Methods of production of edible filamentous fungal biomat formulations are provided as standalone protein sources and/or protein ingredients in foodstuffs as well as a one-time use or repeated use self-contained biomat reactor comprising a container with at least one compartment and placed within the compartment(s), a feedstock, a fungal inoculum, a gas-permeable membrane, and optionally a liquid nutrient medium.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing a filamentous fungal biomass in outer space, comprising:
(a) incubating a filamentous fungal organism in a reactor in a space environment to form the filamentous fungal biomass, wherein the reactor comprises a container, at least one membrane, a filamentous fungal inoculum, and a feedstock; and
(b) harvesting the filamentous fungal biomass from the at least one membrane.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filamentous fungal biomass is suitable for use as a food material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filamentous fungal biomass is suitable for use as a textile material.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filamentous fungal inoculum is freeze-dried.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the space environment is a zero-gravity environment.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing cyanobacteria in the reactor, wherein the cyanobacteria provide at least one of oxygen gas and carbon to promote growth of the filamentous fungal biomass.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a density of the filamentous fungal biomass after step (b) is at least 0.6 grams per cubic centimeter.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising drying the filamentous fungal biomass, wherein a density of the filamentous fungal biomass after step (b) and the drying step is at least 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filamentous fungal biomass is a biomat.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one membrane comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of polypropylenes, polytetrafluoroethylenes, a nylon material, polycarbonates, polyamides, cellulose acetate, polyvinylidene fluorides, mixed cellulose esters, polyethersulfones, polyethylenes, and polypyrroles, a glass fiber material, and a porous ceramic material.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein an average pore size of the at least one membrane is between about 0.2 μm and about 25 μm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the container is enclosed and airtight, wherein the container encloses a gas headspace into which the filamentous fungal biomass grows.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following is true:
(i) the filamentous fungal organism belongs to an order selected from the group consisting of Mucorales, Ustilaginales, Russulales, Polyporales, Agaricales, Pezizales, and Hypocreales;
(ii) the filamentous fungal organism belongs to a family selected from the group consisting of Mucoraceae, Ustilaginaceae, Hericiaceae, Polyporaceae, Grifolaceae, Lyophyllaceae, Strophariaceae, Lycoperdaceae, Agaricaceae, Pleurotaceae, Physalacriaceae, Ophiocordycipitaceae, Tuberaceae, Morchellaceae, Sparassidaceae, Nectriaceae, Bionectriaceae, and Cordycipitaceae; and
(iii) the filamentous fungal organism is selected from the group consisting of Rhizopus oligosporus, Ustilago esculenta, Hericululm erinaceus, Polyporous squamosus, Grifola frondosa, Hypsizygus marmoreus, Hypsizygus ulmarius, Calocybe gambosa, Pholiota nameko, Calvatia gigantea, Agaricus bisporus, Stropharia rugosoannulata, Hypholoma lateritium, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus ostreatus var. columbinus, Tuber borchii, Morchella esculenta, Morchella conica, Morchella importuna, Sparassis crispa, Fusarium venenatum, Fusarium strain MK7 (ATCC Accession Deposit No. PTA-10698), Disciotis venosa, Cordyceps militaris, Trametes versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, Flammulina velutipes, Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus djamor , and Leucoagaricus spp.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock comprises at least one of feces of an animal and urine of an animal.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactor further comprises a selective gas-permeable membrane, wherein a first gas produced during growth of the filamentous fungal biomass is selectively separated into a gas headspace on a first side of the selective gas-permeable membrane.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactor comprises at least one of an inlet valve and an outlet valve.

17. A method for producing a filamentous fungal biomass in outer space, comprising:
(a) incubating a filamentous fungal organism in a reactor in a space environment to form the filamentous fungal biomass, wherein the reactor comprises a container, a mesh scaffold, a filamentous fungal inoculum, and a feedstock; and
(b) harvesting the filamentous fungal biomass from the mesh scaffold.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the filamentous fungal biomass is suitable for use as a food material.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the filamentous fungal biomass is suitable for use as a textile material.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the filamentous fungal inoculum is freeze-dried.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the space environment is a zero-gravity environment.

22. The method of claim 17 , further comprising providing cyanobacteria in the reactor, wherein the cyanobacteria provide at least one of oxygen gas and carbon to promote growth of the filamentous fungal biomass.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein a density of the filamentous fungal biomass after step (b) is at least 0.6 grams per cubic centimeter.

24. The method of claim 17 , further comprising drying the filamentous fungal biomass, wherein a density of the filamentous fungal biomass after step (b) and the drying step is at least 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter.

25. The method of claim 17 , wherein the filamentous fungal biomass is a biomat.

26. The method of claim 17 , wherein the mesh scaffold comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of polypropylenes, polytetrafluoroethylenes, a nylon material, polycarbonates, polyamides, cellulose acetate, polyvinylidene fluorides, mixed cellulose esters, polyethersulfones, polyethylenes, and polypyrroles, a glass fiber material, and a porous ceramic material.

27. The method of claim 17 , wherein an average pore size of the mesh scaffold is between about 0.2 μm and about 25 μm.

28. The method of claim 17 , wherein the container is enclosed and airtight, wherein the container encloses a gas headspace into which the filamentous fungal biomass grows.

29. The method of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the following is true:
(i) the filamentous fungal organism belongs to an order selected from the group consisting of Mucorales, Ustilaginales, Russulales, Polyporales, Agaricales, Pezizales, and Hypocreales;
(ii) the filamentous fungal organism belongs to a family selected from the group consisting of Mucoraceae, Ustilaginaceae, Hericiaceae, Polyporaceae, Grifolaceae, Lyophyllaceae, Strophariaceae, Lycoperdaceae, Agaricaceae, Pleurotaceae, Physalacriaceae, Ophiocordycipitaceae, Tuberaceae, Morchellaceae, Sparassidaceae, Nectriaceae, Bionectriaceae, and Cordycipitaceae; and
(iii) the filamentous fungal organism is selected from the group consisting of Rhizopus oligosporus, Ustilago esculenta, Hericululm erinaceus, Polyporous squamosus, Grifola frondosa, Hypsizygus marmoreus, Hypsizygus ulmarius, Calocybe gambosa, Pholiota nameko, Calvatia gigantea, Agaricus bisporus, Stropharia rugosoannulata, Hypholoma lateritium, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus ostreatus var. columbinus, Tuber borchii, Morchella esculenta, Morchella conica, Morchella importuna, Sparassis crispa, Fusarium venenatum, Fusarium strain MK7

Assignees

• The Fynder Group Inc

Inventors

• Macur Richard Eugene
• Avniel Yuval Charles
• Black Renata Usaite
• Hamilton Maximilian Devane
• Harney Michael John
• Eckstrom Eleanore Brophy
• Kozubal Mark Andrew

Classifications

• C12M23/14

  Bags · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A23L13/65

  Sausages · CPC title

• A21D13/064

  with modified protein content · CPC title

• A23C11/10

  containing or not lactose but no other milk components as source of fats, carbohydrates or proteins · CPC title