An emerging biorefinery of mycelial food products from sustainable feedstocks

Abstract

Background: Fungi are an emerging, sustainable source for food and ingredients, offering a tangible solution to global food security challenges driven by population growth and climate change. Their ability to convert low-value, sustainable feedstocks into high-value, nutrient-rich mycoprotein and bioactive compounds positions them at the forefront of the circular bioeconomy. Scope and approach: To understand how fungi can be leveraged for sustainable food production, this review provides a big picture of the emerging circular fungal biorefinery. It summarizes the current advances and challenges across the ‘feedstock-to-product’ bioprocessing pipeline, covering feedstock characterization and pretreatment from various waste streams, precision fermentation strategies including the modulation of bioprocess parameters, co-cultivation and genetic modification, and downstream processing for novel mycelial foods, from a technical perspective. Key findings and conclusions: Diverse waste feedstocks from various sources including, agriculture and food processing are effectively valorized through tailored handling and pretreatment (e.g., mechanical, thermal and biological). Successful fermentation is a multifactorial process where media composition, process parameters, and bioreactor design critically influence mycelial yield. Advanced strategies like co-cultivation and genetic engineering can substantially boost productivity. An integrated approach, combining innovative bioprocessing with advanced downstream technologies like high-moisture extrusion and 3D printing, is essential for creating next-generation, sustainable mycelial foods with enhanced nutritional and sensory properties.