Both sustainable and edible, you may soon find these culinary creations at a restaurant near you.
Of course, eating fungus isnt new.Mushroomsare a throw in of nutritious fungus.
And even this concept isnt totally new.
Photo:Pekic/Getty Images; EatingWell design
Its been happening in Indonesia for a long time.
They also take the leftover waste from pressing peanuts to make peanut oil and make black oncom.
Both types of oncom are used in stir-fries, as fried snacks and with rice as a dumpling filling.
So hes found a way to combine his love of food with his love of sustainability.
Our food system is very inefficient, says Hill-Maini in a press release about the study.
Its on an industrial scale.
How Was This Study Conducted & What Does It Suggest?
They determined thatNeurospora intermediawas the main fungus in all 10 samples.
Its important to understand that fiber is the part of the plant that doesnt get digested in humans.
So you actually have a transformation in the nutritional value.
Nutritive value isnt the only thing that this fungus changes.
It also changes the taste.
Some of the off-flavors that are associated with soybeans disappear, says Hill-Maini.
And you dont have to wait long for the transformation.
The process of turning food waste into edible creations takes place fairly quicklyabout 36 hours.
Various species of the fungusRhizopuswere found in the black oncom.
This is the same fungus responsible for making tempeh, which is made from fermenting fresh soybeans.
They discovered that there are wild strains and domesticated strains of theNeurosporafungus.
And the domesticated strains are better at breaking down the cellulose fiber.
While theNeurosporafungus shows promise in reducing food waste, its success also depends on taste.
After all, if people wont eat it, it will still be thrown out.
The most important thing, especially for me as a chef, is, Is it tasty?
So Hill-Maini teamed up with Rasmus Munk, head chef and co-owner of the Copenhagen restaurant Alchemist.
They presented red oncom to 60 people who had never tried it before to get their opinions.
They described the taste as earthy, nutty and mushroomy.
You may be one of the first to taste one of Hill-Mainis creationsorangeNeurosporagrown on rice bread.
Its been said that when its fried, it tastes like a grilled cheese sandwich.
doi: 10.1038/s41564-024-01799-3
ScienceDaily.Can fungi turn food waste into the next culinary sensation?
