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Mycelium: A Nutrient-Dense Food To Help Address World Hunger, Promote Health, and Support a Regenerative Food System

Summary

Mycelium, the thread-like root structure of fungi, could help solve world hunger by providing nutritious, sustainable protein in just days. Unlike meat production which takes months to years, mycelium grows rapidly using minimal water and produces far less greenhouse gas. Early research suggests it may help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar control while supporting a healthier planet.

Background

Global hunger affects 720-811 million people, with malnutrition coexisting alongside obesity in many regions. Current food systems are environmentally unsustainable and struggle to provide adequate nutrition at scale. Mycelium, the vegetative growth form of filamentous fungi, offers potential as a nutrient-dense, scalable, and environmentally sustainable protein source.

Objective

To review the potential of mycelium-based foods (mycofoods) as a sustainable solution to address world hunger, malnutrition, and environmental degradation while supporting UN Sustainable Development Goal 2. The review examines mycelium’s nutritional composition, health benefits, environmental impact, and production technologies.

Results

Mycelium demonstrates protein quality with PDCAAS scores at or near 1.0, is high in fiber and essential micronutrients including zinc, folate, and B vitamins, and contains bioactive compounds like ergothioneine. Environmental modeling shows mycelium requires 10 times less water and carbon footprint than beef and 2-4 times less than chicken. Limited intervention studies show potential benefits for glycemic control, cholesterol reduction, and muscle protein synthesis.

Conclusion

Mycelium-based foods represent a promising convergence of nutritional, environmental, and scalability benefits to help address global hunger and food insecurity. Production can occur in 2-6 days compared to months or years for conventional proteins. Further research across diverse mycelial species and populations is needed, along with investment in production infrastructure and consumer education to realize mycofoods’ potential in achieving sustainable food systems.
  • Published in:Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c03307; PMID: 38054424
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