Could Fungal Fermentation Help Expand Sustainable Protein Production? 

Could Fungal Fermentation Help Expand Sustainable Protein Production? 

With global demand for protein rising, researchers and food producers are identifying new ways to expand supply. Projections suggest global food demand could grow by 70 percent by 2050, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable protein sources with high nutritional quality and effective use in both food and feed applications1. 

At the same time, conventional livestock provides only a portion of global protein, occupies a disproportionate share of farmland, and contributes significantly to food-system emissions2.  

This upcoming challenge has sparked a growing interest in alternative protein production. Fermentation, a centuries-old process widely used in foods such as bread, cheese, soy sauce, and tempeh, is emerging as a particularly promising solution to producing protein more sustainably.  

Projects such as InnoProtein are exploring how the combination of fermentation and fungi could help turn existing food resources and by-products into valuable protein sources for food and feed use. 

Fermentation: A Familiar Process with New Possibilities 

Fermentation has long played a role in food production, contributing to distinctive textures, flavors, and nutritional characteristics. These processes traditionally rely on microorganisms such as bacteria and yeasts to completely transform sugars and nutrients. 

Today, researchers are harnessing fermentation in new ways: to produce protein sources directly from microorganisms and fungi. Filamentous fungi are attracting attention for their ability to grow on plant-based substrates (the material microorganisms feed on) and convert even agricultural byproducts into protein-rich ingredients3.  

Unlike many bacterial strains that grow best in free-liquid environments, filamentous fungi thrive on damp, solid organic materials4. This makes them well-suited to solid-state fermentation (SSF), a technique where microorganisms grow on solid substrates with limited moisture, eventually spreading across the surface of the substrate, breaking down complex compounds, and producing nutrient-rich organic material5. 

SSF shines among fermentation methods for its low water and energy requirements and minimal waste production. For food researchers and producers, this makes it a promising option for generating proteins while supporting a more circular, zero-waste approach that is being actively explored through the work of Innoprotein partner Naturstoff-Technik GmbH6. 

Fungal Fermentation and Protein Quality  

Fungi such as the Aspergillus, Rhizopus, and Pleurotus species can grow on a wide range of substrates, including cereal grains, legumes, and even agricultural by‑products7. Through SSF, these fungi produce their own protein-rich biomass (organic material)8.  

Within InnoProtein, Natursoff-Technik GmbH is leading efforts to identify and optimise fungal strains, testing their performance on low-grade cereal substrates under controlled fermentation conditions. 

During this process, fungal fermentation can also improve the nutritional characteristics of plant-based substrates like cereal grains and legumes. Studies show that fungal SSF can increase essential amino acids and improve protein digestibility, helping make nutrients more accessible for human and animal consumption910.  

By transforming simple materials into protein-rich ingredients with improved nutritional properties, fungal SSF offers a promising approach to expanding the protein supply for both human and animal diets. Fermentation can also influence flavor, texture, and other functional properties of food ingredients, making them suitable for a variety of food and bio-based applications11. 

From Research to Scalable Protein Ingredients 

A key focus moving forward is determining whether fungal fermentation processes like SSF can be scaled from laboratory studies to larger, more industrial applications. While fungal SSF has many ecological and economic advantages, industrial applications could present challenges in supporting consistent temperature, proper gas exchange, and even moisture throughout diverse substrates12. However, advances in bioreactor design, monitoring technologies, and robust fungal strains are helping to address these challenges and improve industrial scalability13. 

Overcoming these scalability challenges opens exciting opportunities for innovation in sustainable protein production.  Investment in scale-up capabilities could accelerate commercial application and strengthen circular economy practices by turning food industry by-products into valuable, nutrient-rich ingredients14. This represents a chance to pioneer new processes that combine sustainability, efficiency, and high-impact nutritional solutions. 

Expanding the Protein Ingredient Toolbox 

Meeting future protein demand will require a combination of solutions. Alongside plant-based proteins and other emerging alternatives, fungal fermentation may offer an efficient, sustainable way to produce high-quality protein. 

Fungal fermentation methods build on established food technologies and can leverage even low-grade cereals and food-processing residues. Projects like Innoprotein aim to translate this approach from laboratory research into scalable production methods for food ingredients. 

As research continues, fermentation and fungi-based protein production is poised to become a useful tool for diversifying protein ingredients in the food and feed industry while helping build more sustainable and resilient protein systems. 

 

References 

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  3. Wang, J., Huang, Z., Jiang, Q., Roubík, H., Xu, Q., & Gharsallaoui, A. (2023). Fungal solid-state fermentation of crops and their by-products to obtain protein resources: The next frontier of food industry. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 138, 628–644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2023.06.020  ↩︎
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  6. Borkertas, S., Viskelis, J., Viskelis, P., Streimikyte, P., Gasiunaite, U., & Urbonaviciene, D. (2025). Fungal biomass fermentation: Valorizing the food industry’s waste. Fermentation, 11(6), 351. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11060351  ↩︎
  7. Wang, J., Huang, Z., Jiang, Q., Roubík, H., Xu, Q., & Gharsallaoui, A. (2023). Fungal solid-state fermentation of crops and their by-products to obtain protein resources: The next frontier of food industry. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 138, 628–644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2023.06.020  ↩︎
  8. Zwinkels, J., Wolkers-Rooijackers, J., & Smid, E. J. (2023). Solid-state fungal fermentation transforms low-quality plant-based foods into products with improved protein quality. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 184, Article 114979. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2023.114979  ↩︎
  9. Zwinkels, J., Wolkers-Rooijackers, J., & Smid, E. J. (2023). Solid-state fungal fermentation transforms low-quality plant-based foods into products with improved protein quality. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 184, Article 114979. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2023.114979  ↩︎
  10. Milcarz, A., & Harasym, J. (2025). Solid state fermentation—A promising approach to produce meat analogues. Foods, 14(10), 1820. 
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  11. Milcarz, A., & Harasym, J. (2025). Solid state fermentation—A promising approach to produce meat analogues. Foods, 14(10), 1820. 
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  12. Borkertas, S., Viskelis, J., Viskelis, P., Streimikyte, P., Gasiunaite, U., & Urbonaviciene, D. (2025). Fungal biomass fermentation: Valorizing the food industry’s waste. Fermentation, 11(6), 351. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11060351 
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  13. Borkertas, S., Viskelis, J., Viskelis, P., Streimikyte, P., Gasiunaite, U., & Urbonaviciene, D. (2025). Fungal biomass fermentation: Valorizing the food industry’s waste. Fermentation, 11(6), 351. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11060351 
    ↩︎
  14. Borkertas, S., Viskelis, J., Viskelis, P., Streimikyte, P., Gasiunaite, U., & Urbonaviciene, D. (2025). Fungal biomass fermentation: Valorizing the food industry’s waste. Fermentation, 11(6), 351. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11060351 
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