Mycoprotein

Mycoprotein is a food made by continuous fermentation of the fungus, Fusarium gramineurum. The fungus is grown in a large fermentation tower to which oxygen, nitrogen, glucose, minerals, and vitamins are continually added. After harvesting, the fungus is heat treated to reduce its RNA content to World Health Organisation recommended levels before being filtered and drained. The resulting sheet of fungal mycelia is mixed with free range egg albumen which acts a binder. Flavouring and colouring may also be added. The mycoprotein is then textured to resemble meat, before being sliced, diced or shredded. Mycoprotein is a source of protein, fibre, biotin, iron and zinc, and is low in saturated fat.
Mycoprotein was developed by Rank Hovis McDougall, and is marketed under the name of Quorn by Marlow Foods Ltd (now owned by Premier Foods). A wide range of Quorn ready meals are available including curries, pies, and casseroles, and it may also be purchased as chunks, mince, sausages, burgers, fillets etc. Since January 2005 the entire Quorn range have been approved by the Vegetarian Society (previously the manufacturers had not been able to source enough free range eggs to use accross whole product range).

7. Choose the proper prepositions and fill them in:

1. What is mycoprotein?

2. Whom was mycoprotein developed …?

3. Mycoprotein is a source … protein, fibre, biotin, iron and zinc, isn’t it?

4. Is the fungus heat treated … reduce its RNA content to World Health Organisation recommended levels … being filtered and drained?

8. Pair work. Put the questions given above to your group-mate and let him/her answer them.

Lesson 6

Read the words.

balsam

indigo

licorice

percentage

Leguminosae

approximately

A) Cover the right column and read the English words. Translate them into Russian and check your translation.

B) Cover the left column and translate the Russian words back into English.

consumer потребитель

blackeyed pea коровий горох

indigo индиго

carob tree рожковое дерево

gum-arabic гуммиарабик

liquorice лакричник ( растение ); лакрица

mung bean маш, фасоль золотистая

3. Read the words and put down their Russian equivalents:

dried pulses __________________________________

temperate regions _______________________________

important economically ___________________________

plant kingdom _________________________________

nutritional breakdown of soya _____________________

haricot beans __________________________________

Think of eight questions covering the text. Put them to your group-mates.

To be translated in written.

Pulses

Peas, beans and lentils are known as pulses. They are the seeds of plants belonging to the family Leguminosae, which gets its name from the characteristic pod or legume that protects the seeds while they are forming and ripening. With approximately 13,000 species, the family Leguminosae is the second largest in the plant kingdom and it is very important economically.

Different kinds of legumes provide us with food, medicines, oils, chemicals, timber, dyes and ornamental garden plants. Legume products include carob, senna, gum arabic, balsam, indigo and licorice. Pulses are valuable because they contain a higher percentage of protein than most other plant foods.

Pulses have been used as food for thousands of years. The lentil was probably one of the first plants ever to be domesticated by humans. Most pulses prefer warm climates but there are varieties which grow in temperate regions. They can be eaten fresh or dried and come in a great number of varieties with a range of colours, flavours, and textures. In spite of its common name, the peanut or groundnut is also a legume rather than a nut.

All pulses, except for soya beans, are very similar in nutritional content. They are rich in protein, carbohydrate and fibre, and low in fat which is mostly of the unsaturated kind. They are also important sources of some B vitamins. Fresh pulses contain vitamin C, but this declines after harvesting and virtually all is lost from dried pulses. Canned pulses however, retain about half their vitamin C except for canned, processed peas which have been dried before canning. Canning doesn't affect the protein content, eliminates the need for soaking and considerably reduces the cooking time compared with dried pulses. Frozen peas will have also lost about a quarter of their vitamin C content.

Pulses are usually eaten for their high protein content. A typical nutritional breakdown is that for haricot beans which are used to make baked beans, contain, per 100g dried beans: 21.4g protein, 1.6g fat, 45.5g carbohydrate, 25.4g fibre, 6.7mg iron and 180mg calcium.

The nutritional quality of the soya bean is superior to that of other pulses. It contains more protein and is also a good source of iron and calcium. The nutritional breakdown of soya is per 100g of dried beans: 34.1g protein, 17.7g fat, 28.6g carbohydrate, 8.4mg iron and 226mg calcium. Dried soya beans are lengthy to prepare because they need at least 12 hours soaking and 4 hours cooking time, boiling for the first hour, but nowadays a large number of soya based foods including tofu, tempeh and textured vegetable protein (soya mince or chunks) are available.

One advantage of dried pulses is that they will store very well for long periods if kept in a dry, airtight container away from the light. However it is best to eat them as fresh as possible. Pulses toughen on storage and older ones will take longer to cook. Allow about 55g dried weight per person, once soaked and cooked they will at least double in weight. Most dried pulses need soaking for several hours before they can be cooked, exceptions are all lentils, green and yellow split peas, blackeye and mung beans. Soaking times vary from 4-12 hours, it is usually most convenient to soak pulses overnight. Always discard the soaking water, rinse and cook in fresh water without any salt, which toughens the skins and makes for longer cooking. Changing the water will help to reduce the flatulence some people suffer when eating pulses, also reputed to help is the addition of a pinch of aniseeds, caraway, dill or fennel seeds.

Consumers should be aware that it is not safe to eat raw or undercooked kidney and soya beans. There is no need to avoid them as long as they are thoroughly cooked.