Leveraging Species-Specific Mycelial Morphology of Edible Fungi to Tune the Microstructure and Textural Properties of Meat Analogues.

Edible fungal mycelia are promising building blocks for meat analogues, yet how their diverse morphological traits influence final product quality remains underexplored. In this study, three edible fungi, Cordyceps militaris A 17 (C. militaris), Pleurotus ostreatus 48 (P. ostreatus), and Pleurotus tuoliensis 08 (P. tuoliensis), each with distinct morphologies, were systematically investigated. The results showed that mycelial morphology was associated with the physicochemical properties of the raw material. Fine and highly dispersed mycelia (C. militaris) exhibited the highest water- and oil-holding capacities, whereas dense and robust mycelia (P. ostreatus and P. tuoliensis) displayed lower holding capacities. When formulated into meat analogues, these intrinsic properties significantly affected product quality. The dense mycelial networks of P. ostreatus and P. tuoliensis synergistically integrated with the soy protein isolate (SPI) matrix to form a strong and cohesive composite network, significantly enhancing meat-like hardness and chewiness while reducing cooking loss. Conversely, the fine and dispersed mycelial network of C. militaris exhibited lower structural integrity and was more susceptible to heat-induced collapse, leading to a higher cooking loss. Additionally, all fabricated analogues maintain structural integrity across multiple freeze-thaw cycles. Nutritionally, the analogues presented a desirable high-protein, high-fiber, and low-fat profile. Notably, SPI played a pivotal dual role, structurally reinforcing the matrix and acting as a vital nutritional equalizer to offset initial strain-specific amino acid disparities, yielding a uniformly balanced, umami-rich profile. Overall, these findings demonstrate that naturally distinct fungal mycelial morphologies are associated with variations in the structural, textural, and physicochemical properties of mycelium-based meat analogues.