Goal
- Introduce savory flavors into a spent grain meat alternative by releasing cooking precursors through solid-state fermentation
- Produce a natural, less processed, product which has been gastronomically improved for incorporation of plant fats and fermented spent grain
- Investigate the environmental and economical sustainability of the fermented product
Plan
- Test various mycelia to achieve a high flavoring capacity for solid-state fermentation under both pilot and medium-scale conditions.
- Use advanced analytical methods to identify aroma biomarkers to guide efficient fermentation.
- Optimize the nutritional and organoleptic profiles of the fermented product.
- Evaluate the shelf life of the developed product.
- Perform life cycle analysis and create a marketing plan to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the fermented spent grain
Expected results
- Identify optimal growth conditions for high-flavor strains.
- Develop protocols for efficient fermentation.
- Obtain palatable vegetable steaks with a savory flavor profile, similar to meat.
- Improve the environmental sustainability of the fermented product.
- Develop a market entry strategy for both national and international markets.