Abstract
The use of food waste as feedstock in the manufacture of high-value products is a promising avenue to contribute to circular economy. Considering that the majority of environmental impacts of products are determined in the early phases of product development, it is crucial to integrate life cycle assessment during these phases. This study integrates environmental considerations in the development of solid-state fermentation based on the cultivation of N. intermedia for the production of a fungal food product using surplus bread as a substrate. The product can be sold as a ready-to-eat meal to reduce waste while generating additional income. Four inoculation scenarios were proposed, based on the use of bread, molasses, and glucose as substrate, and one scenario based on backslopping. The environmental performance was assessed, and the quality of the fungal product was evaluated in terms of morphology and protein content. The protein content of the fungal food product was similar in all scenarios, varying from 25% to 29%. The scenario based on backslopping showed the lowest environmental impacts while maintaining high protein content. The results show that the inoculum production and the solid-state fermentation are the two environmental hotspots and should be in focus when optimizing the process.
Highlights
In food production, extensive resources such as water, land, energy and nutrients are used with significant impact to the environment
This section describes the experimental results of the solid-state fermentation, in relation to the increase of the protein content over time and the morphology of the inoculum
III) resulted in a longer lag phase and slower initial exponential growth, possibly due to change in substrate during solid-state fermentation (SSF), while N. intermedia grown on bread
Summary
Extensive resources such as water, land, energy and nutrients are used with significant impact to the environment. It is forecasted that by 2050, the demand for agricultural products will increase by 35–50% due to a growing population and rising incomes, leading to higher pressure on the environment [1]. The problem is aggravated by the significant wastage of food throughout the supply chain. The wastage of food represents the loss of the product itself, and all the resources used in food production, transportation and packaging. The provision of animal-based protein generally has a higher environmental impact compared with vegetable or fungi-based proteins [2]. Concerns regarding the ethical and environmental implications of meat consumption have increased the demand for meat substitutes, such as those based on legumes and fungi [3]. The use of filamentous fungi as a commercial food product has gained considerable attention, due to its high protein content, the presence of essential amino acids and easy digestibility [4,5]
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