Mycelia, The Engine Behind The Mushroom

Mycelia provide the mushroom with the food it needs to survive and flourish. Unlike humans, or even other fungi, mushrooms digest their food externally by secreting enzymes into their external environment; enzymes that break down complex organic matter into simpler nutrients - like sugars, nitrates and phosphates.

Nature's Clean-Up Crew

Mycelia "clean up" the forest by breaking down toxins and indigestible matter. They also feed surrounding plants and animals by producing the nutrients they need to survive.

Feeding The Forest

Mycelium have been described as the "Janitors of the Forest," but we think they've also earned the title of "Nature's Chefs." The same chemical process that feeds and supports the mushroom also impacts the entire surrounding ecosystem.

Power To Grow

Mycelium grows quickly and resiliently, spreading - unseen by the human eye - for acres or even miles underground. In fact, the largest living organism in the world today is a mushroom mycelial mass in Oregon that measures 2.4 miles across. The structure of the mycelium provides the physical stability mushrooms need to sprout its cap and stem, which is the fruiting body and reproductive mechanism of the mushroom. Often a foodstuff we know and love, this form is also the final stage of a mushroom’s lifecycle.

Power To TRANSFORM

Harnessing The Power Of Nature

We use this natural fermentation process to create novel ingredients derived from the power of nature. We harness the mycelia’s ability to digest and transform its growth medium, whether by improving taste, texture, nutrition levels or bioavailability. In addition, we harvest the rich byproducts created by this natural fermentation, making it more accessible.

Power To GROW

Rooted In Nature, Built For Scale

Mycelium’s fast growth makes it an extremely efficient production vehicle. Its resilient structure means it is a stable mechanism for generating high-quality outputs quickly and with limited intervention. These properties let us ferment at scale, naturally.

Power To Adapt

The Natural Innovation Engine

This versatility allows us to experiment with different feedstocks and growing processes utilizing various mushroom strains to produce a vast array of novel compounds and processing tools. Mixing and matching different combinations of mushrooms, substrates, and conditions, mycelium has become our platform for infinite discovery and innovation.

Innovation
Built On A Platform

At MycoTechnology, we harness the power of mushroom mycelia using a process called “liquid culture” or “submerged fermentation”. Instead of allowing mycelium to ferment (or digest) solid material, as they might break down a decomposing tree in the wild, we instead “train” our mushrooms to digest a liquid substrate. We simply teach our mycelia to thrive on a liquid diet.

STARTER CULTURE

While in a small flask, a pure culture of a specific mushroom variety is inoculated into a sterile, proprietary media. This preliminary fermentation is designed to initiate growth and induce the mycelia’s digestive process to illicit very specific enzymes.

SEED FERMENTOR

Next, the fermentation advances through several increasingly larger tanks as the production process scales. At each stage, the mycelia adjust to their new environment - chemically and physically - while they continue to produce the proper enzymatic reactions.

MAIN FERMENTATION

As it feeds and grows, it produces a variety of useful chemical compounds as well as what will become a commercially viable, “naturally transformed” ingredient solution.

Spray Drying

Once the main fermentor has reached maturity, The mycelium and supernatant can be separated, dried, or extracted for specific compounds, and each component used as food ingredients and beyond.

Starter Culture

While in a small flask, a pure culture of a specific mushroom mycelial variety is inoculated into a sterile, proprietary media. This preliminary fermentation is designed to initiate growth and induce the mycelia’s digestive process to elicit very specific enzymes.

Seed Fermentor

Main Fermentation

As the Mycelium feeds and grows, it produces a variety of useful chemical compounds as well as what will become a commercially viable, “naturally transformed” ingredient solution available to all.

Spray Drying

Once the main fermentor has reached maturity, the mycelium and supernatant can be separated, dried, or extracted for specific compounds, and each component used as a food ingredients and solutions.

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The Future Of Food Will Rely On Fermentation

Dr David Welch,

Director Science and Technology at the Good Food Institute (GFI)

"Fermentation is the future of the alternative protein industry"

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Solving Our Customers
Greatest Challenges

Sugar Reduction

How Do We End
The Sugar Epidemic

Over consumption of sugar has caused a health crisis. Only 15% of the population is metabolically healthy. For decades we’ve relied on sugar to make food taste better, using it as a cheap, easy tool to mask off notes. , we are obligated to find a solution. At Myco, we believe there is a better solution. Using mycelial fermentation, we’ve found a way to improve flavor without the need for sugar.

Population Growth

How Do We Feed An Exponentially Growing Population

It is estimated that by as early as 2040 our global food system will not be able to support the population. Mycelial fermentation provides a unique way to create nutritious and functional ingredients at scale with minimal environmental impact.

Nutrition

How Do We Solve
Solve Food Insecruity

With 1 in 10 people food insecure, it is imperative to find a solution, so no one has to go hungry.

Food Waste

How Do We
End Food Waste

More than 50% of all the food that is produced doesn’t make it to people’s plates. With 1 in 10 people food insecure, this waste isn’t just an environmental problem, it’s a societal problem. Mycelial fermentation can up-cycle waste streams and turn them into valuable food ingredients – feeding those in need, reducing our footprint and creating new value streams for food producers.

Collaborating With Nature