This National Coffee Day, sweeten your coffee with mushrooms
A Denver-based startup has developed a mushroom powder that may well be a healthier alternative to sugar for your morning cup of joe.
Using mycelium, the vegetative portion of the mushroom found underground, scientists are able to 鈥� and imbue nutritional benefits to target foods and beverages.鈥�
The main goal is to reduce bitterness, a feat that has many benefits including utilization of low-grade beans and a healthier final product. The company鈥檚 innovative method 鈥渉as the potential to ,鈥� the company claims.
There are of the bitterness taste receptor, reports Mashable. MycoTechnology has 鈥渋dentified seven different molecules that contribute to bitterness in coffee that we can modify,鈥� said James P. Langan, MycoTechnology鈥檚 vice president of innovation in an interview with Mashable.
Using a process known as MycoSmooth, coffee and cocoa beans are inoculated with mushrooms and left to ferment - coffee for 7 days, cocoa for 14.
Alternatively, the company produces a powder that can be added to coffee, and any other bitter-tasting food, much like food additives sugar or salt.
And in fact, MycoTech says its biggest competition is sugar.
鈥淭he cost of bitterness impacts not only the value of products, but the ,鈥� says MycoTech. 鈥淎dd-ins such as sugar, milk, syrups, and artificial sweeteners are used to mask and cover up bitterness adding a tremendous amount of calories or unnecessary chemicals that can be avoided with the elimination of bitterness."
MycoTech says its product is 鈥渆asier on the stomach鈥� and makes coffee a 鈥渕ore enjoyable drink.鈥�
MycoTech鈥檚 process is . According to the company's website, they are the first to create a "class three聽functional" food, a food that has 鈥渦ndergone a natural organic process, similar to fermentation, that infuses valuable nutrients and removes taste defects.鈥澛�
鈥淢any drugs and healthful ingredients are quite bitter, and bitter tastes are usually aversive. If this technology can usefully reduce bitterness, it will be a ,鈥� Dr. John Coupland, professor of Food Science at Penn State, told Mashable.
