Question

Write a short essay (500 words) describing how QuornTM is manufactured. A flow sheet outlining the process must be provided together with information on process conditions such as temperature, pressure, time of reaction etc. All necessary information can be taken from the internet.

Answer 1

Quorn^TM is a meat substitute that can be eaten by the ovo-lacto vegetarians and lacto vegetarians.Quorn^TM is made from mycoprotein that is derived from fungi and this is then mixed with egg white and made into shapes like the sausages,burgers,meat-sized chunks and Quorn^TM mince.

The process of maufacture of Quorn^TM is as follows;

• Quorn is made from the soil mould Fusarium venenatum strain PTA-2684.The fungus is grown in continually oxygenated water in large, otherwise sterile fermentation tanks. Glucose and fixed nitrogen are added as a food for the fungus, as are vitamins and minerals to improve the food value of the product.
• The resulting mycoprotein is then extracted and heat-treated to remove excess levels of RNA
• The product is dried and mixed with egg albumen, which acts as a binder.
• It is then textured, giving it some of the grained character of meat, and pressed either into a mince resembling ground beef; forms resembling chicken breasts, meatballs, and turkey roasts; or chunks resembling diced chicken breast.

Flowchart of the Process of Manufacture of Quorn^TM:

fermentation process

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Extraction of Mycoprotein

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Removal of excess RNA

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Resulting product is dried and Egg Albumen is added

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Texturing the meat substitute

Process Explanation:

• fermentation process

  Quorn is made from the soil mould Fusarium venenatum strain PTA-2684.The fungus is grown in continually oxygenated water in large, otherwise sterile fermentation tanks. Glucose and fixed nitrogen are added as a food for the fungus, as are vitamins and minerals to improve the food value of the product.
• Extraction of Mycoprotein

The resulting mycoprotein is then extracted and heat-treated to remove excess levels of RNA

• Resulting product is dried and Egg Albumen is added

The product is dried and mixed with egg albumen, which acts as a binder.It is then textured, giving it some of the grained character of meat, and pressed either into a mince resembling ground beef; forms resembling chicken breasts, meatballs, and turkey roasts; or chunks resembling diced chicken breast.