MYCELIATED PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS HAVING IMPROVED TEXTURE AND METHODS FOR MAKING

Provided is a method to prepare a protein food product based on solid state fermentation, which includes the steps of preparing a sterilized substrate comprising a grain such as rice or quinoa and a plant protein concentrate or isolate such as pea protein, inoculating the sterilized substrate with a filamentous fungal culture such as Morchella esculenta culture, and culturing the filamentous fungal culture in the substrate, resulting in a myceliated substrate that has texture more similar to meat and/or improved flavor and aroma when cooked as compared to control substrate (e.g., unmyceliated). Similarity in texture to cooked meat includes increased spring and cohesiveness on chewing, and also where the protein food product, and the improved flavor includes increased savory and umami and decreased bitterness and improved aroma includes decreased pea or beany aroma. Also provided are protein food products made by the methods provided and food compositions, for example, meat analog products, made using the methods and compositions provided.