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Project Topic
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Since there are no adequate actions for the restoration of the strongly-hit immune system post sever illness challenges (e.g. COVID-19 pandemic) the need for unclassical solutions for fortifying body immune system is evident. This conclusion has been raised clearly after health-care specialists around the world noticed that elderly people and people with severe obesity, heart problems, and diabetes have shown a higher risk for severe illness. From this point of view, the general objective of this project is to include immunomodulatory nutritive agents such as mushroom beta-glucans and proteins in the Mediterranean human diets to boost our immune system resilience to get protection against the emergence and spread of current and future diseases. This idea is exactly what the call aiming to, as we are targeting PRIMA Call: Section 2 – Multi-topic 2022, Thematic Area 3 - Agro-food value chain Topic 2.3.1, which is focused on the transition to healthy and sustainable dietary behavior. Mush-MED Consortium has developed technologies of mushroom processing with which a protein transition is possible. Mushrooms will be produced with less time-consuming and environmental friendly methodologies. The current meat analogues (such as tofu, seitan, tempeh) are very different from meat in terms of texture, taste and aroma. For these reasons, understood as a low similarity to meat, they have low popularity among flexitarians and omnivores. Mushroom-based meat will join similar texture and taste of meat and could be able to cross the social and conventional barriers to reach the majority of people who usually eat meat, which in turn will pave the way for the expected impacts of Topic 2.3.1 “Improving Med people health by facilitating the shifting to a Mediterranean healthy and sustainable diet“and “Decrease in obesity rate and other diet‐related non‐communicable diseases in the Mediterranean area“. Four Work Packages (WP) will be implemented by 4 groups of scientific entities belonging to 4 countries in the Mediterranean region (Egypt, Italy, Portugal, and Turkey). These groups are collaborating for developing two functional food products (vegetarian burgers meatballs and hamburger bread) supplemented with mushroom beta-glucans and proteins produced from Pleurotus spp. The production of mushroom beta-glucans and proteins will be optimized for maximum possible yield with zero waste and minimum possible coast using three systems 1) new designed Air Sparging System (ASS), 2) different size bioreactors, and 3) growth chamber cultivation systems. The produced beta-glucans and proteins from the selected cultivation system/s, as well as the food products made out of them will be assessed for their in-vitro and in-vivo safety, dietary values, and immune system posting and regulatory efficacies in both mice models and human volunteers. In addition, the effect of beta-glucans and proteins and its functional food-based products on the host gut microbiome composition and cognitive and emotional behavior to assess the comorbidity of neuroinflammatory disorders will be studied. The nutritional value of the products will be evaluated in terms of their content of protein and amino acids, fat and fatty acids, ash, and mineral composition. In addition, the storage stability of the products under refrigeration conditions will be determined. In order to support project transfer from concept to commercialization and to reach the different end users, an adhoc dissemination plan will be continuously developed to match the expected impact of Topic 2.3.1 “Updating, modifying and developing dietary guidelines and promotion strategies for the adoption of Mediterranean healthy and sustainable diets “and “Promoting and marketing of Mediterranean dietary habits and highlighting its benefits at all levels through media coverage, TV programmes, awareness campaigns in schools and communities”.
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