Increasing the Lipid Content of Filamentous Fungi: Potential Alternatives to Conventional Meat through Culture Medium Modification and High-Lipid Yeast Immobilization

Abstract

Conventional meat consumption has significant environmental impacts, driving interest in alternatives such as fungal-based meat. A key challenge is its low lipid content, which affects its resemblance to traditional meat. To address this, two strategies were tested to boost lipid levels while maintaining protein content. The study focused on evaluating the potential of two generally recognized as safe (GRAS) classified filamentous fungi, Aspergillus oryzae and Agaricus brunnescens. The first approach involved modifying the culture media to promote Lipid synthesis, using formulations enriched with glucose and olive oil. The second approach employed a novel vacuum infusion method to immobilize high-lipid yeasts within the fungal biomass, assessing both pellet and biofilm morphologies of the two test fungi. Detailed assessments of biomass productivity, Lipid, and protein content were conducted. Considering all the stated values, an optimal lipid increase of 4.66% in dry mass was quantified when immobilizing high-lipid yeasts in A. oryzae biofilms. This falls within the lipid range of traditional meats (2.7–13.3%) and is expected to improve key sensory attributes such as mouthfeel, juiciness, and structural cohesiveness, crucial for consumer acceptance of meat analogues. Notably, protein content remained high at 25.90%, comparable to conventional meat. This study demonstrates that, with targeted treatments, filamentous fungi can be enriched in lipids without compromising protein content, offering a sustainable and promising alternative to traditional meat for the food industry.