Production of edible macrofungi by submerged fermentation and evaluation of biomass as a potential meat substitute

Food security is at risk due to climate crises and the uncontrolled growth of the world population. Since obtaining protein, one of the most fundamental nutrients, from animal sources is unsustainable, the demand for alternative protein sources has increased. Fungi, which are essential components of the ecosystem, are considered an important food source due to their high protein, fiber, and vitamin content, as well as their low lipid content. Additionally, their umami flavored profile offers a tasty alternative. In this thesis study, 143 different mushroom samples were collected from nature in and around Antalya and were morphologically identified as edible. The study inventory was created using mycelium cultures obtained by growing these mushroom samples on solid and liquid media (26 strains) and edible pure mycelium cultures (11 strains) obtained from the Basidiomycete Culture Collection of the Czech Republic. The molecular identification of the edible mushroom isolates was performed using ITS regions, resulting in the isolation of a total of 11 pure cultures: 10 different Morchella species (M. sextelata (3 strains), M. eximia (1 strain), M. mediterraneensis (5 strains), and M. importuna (1 strain)) and 1 Pleurotus sp. (P. ostreatus). Through shaking flask incubations and bioreactor productions, the highest biomass yield (160 g/L) was achieved by cultivating the M. importuna MBD 4 strain in NB medium supplemented with 2% sugarcane molasses. The chemical composition of M. importuna MBD 4 mycelia, which consists of approximately 96.68% water, was determined on a dry matter basis as follows: protein content: 7.6%, dietary fiber content: 15.5%, ash content: 7.5%, and fat content: 14.2%. The produced fungal biomass was frozen, thawed, and rehydrated, and the mycelial mass was evaluated as a meat substitute. Hybrid meatballs were produced by mixing different proportions of the mycelial biomass with ground beef, and the physical and chemical properties of the final product were assessed. It was observed that the hybrid meatball formulations reduced the fat content while increasing the mineral (ash) content of the meat product. Texture and color analyses revealed that lower mycelium ratios provided textural properties like traditional meat products, whereas higher mycelium ratios enhanced nutritional value.