How Is Quorn Produced?

Quorn is an alternative to meat that is used by vegetarians. Supermarkets now stock several varieties of Quorn products, either in the shape of things like sausages and fillets in sauce, or as pieces or mince to build into recipes.

Quorn is a mycoprotein. It is the protein produced by fungus which is purified and processed to have the texture and taste of meat. It has no animal fat and, in fact, very little fat at all and absolutely no cholesterol, so good for people who need to avoid these substances. It has a high protein content, as high as milk, and it is also high in fibre – which gives it another major advantage over meat. It also contains some minerals and B vitamins.

Mycoprotein is produced by the fungus Fusarium graminearum, which is a fungus related to truffles. It grows readily on any source of carbohydrate and the fungus produced is 45% protein. It contains all the amino acids and can be formed into a variety of shapes and textures.