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Review
. 2025 Nov 15;492(Pt 2):145443.
doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145443. Epub 2025 Jul 4.

A comprehensive approach to the chemical analysis of fungal biomass - the pitfalls of nutritional standardization

Cas H A Geerits  1 , Maloe Kleine Haar  2 , Kirsten C C Knobel  2 , Jean-Paul Vincken  3 , Mirjam A Kabel  4
Affiliations
Free article
Review

A comprehensive approach to the chemical analysis of fungal biomass - the pitfalls of nutritional standardization

Cas H A Geerits et al. Food Chem. .
Free article

Abstract

Current protein production methods are reaching their capacity, and therewith their sustainability is at jeopardy. Alternatives like microbial biomass, particularly fungal mycelium, are gaining interest due to their low environmental impact and favorable amino acid profile for human consumption. Current chemical analysis of fungal biomass relies on methodologies standardized for plant biomass or animal protein, often leading to inaccurate and incomplete results. Particularly, overestimation of the protein content is a crucial pitfall, due to the presence of RNA and chitin. Tailored quantification techniques are required, including an adequate nitrogen-to-protein conversion formula, appropriate fiber quantification, and extended solvent selection for lipid quantification. This review provides a novel standardized approach to analyze fungal biomass, enabling accurate quantification of the main constituents such as protein, lipid, RNA, and fiber (e.g. glucan/chitin). Such a comprehensive approach for chemical analysis of fungal biomass is essential for applying fungi in food.

Keywords: Analysis; Chemical composition; Fungal biomass; Mycoprotein; N:P conversion factor; Novel protein; Phospholipids.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Cas HA Geerits reports financial support was provided by The Protein Brewery B.V., Breda, The Netherlands. Cas HA Geerits reports a relationship with The Protein Brewery B.V., Breda, The Netherlands that includes: employment. Kirsten CC Knobel reports a relationship with The Protein Brewery B.V., Breda, The Netherlands that includes: employment. Maloe Kleine Haar reports a relationship with The Protein Brewery B.V., Breda, The Netherlands that includes: employment. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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