Insoles with fungal spores help prevent bacteria and foot diseases.
Now a Canadian-based startup is also using mushroom spores – to produce large quantities of protein-rich, plant-based food.
First step: extract the sugar from agricultural waste. The sugar serves as nourishment for a teaspoonful of spores from different edible mushrooms, which are then fermented in large steel tanks.
Next, the fermented mix is dried in thin slices and can be stored in closed containers for up to 12 months. The finished product is said to be neutral in taste and can be used in various protein-rich dishes.
Elsewhere, others are fermenting plants and mushroom spores to create fish alternatives. Using the same process, sugarcane can be turned into highly heatable oil.Â
