You may have noticed good old 'shrooms playing a starring role in all manner of products recently… think coffee drinks and meat alternatives, and just about anything in between!
In our planetwatching report on Fungi, we delve deep into the magical world of the fungi kingdom – from mushrooms to mycelium to mould – to explore why it is making such an impact in the food and drink industry, and how the trend is evolving.
For instance, did you know that fungi are being used to turn food waste into culinary gold? Indeed, super ingredient 'koji' is the fungus responsible for making umami-rich products like soy, miso and sake (by breaking down starches and proteins through fermentation).
Then there's mycelium, aka the root like structure of fungi. Its naturally fibrous, meat-like texture makes it the perfect ingredient for plant based meat alternative – and startups are exploring how to leverage mycelium in a broader range of species (e.g. morels, chicken of the woods) to create super 'meaty', minimally processed alts.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg! From plant-based seafood to koji cheese – the wonderful world of fungi is throwing up innovation opportunities everywhere! Want to find out more? Check out our full planetwatching article on Fungi, live on TrendHub now.
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