FAQs

Quorn's mycoprotein is the ingredient common to all Quorn products. It is a unique and nutritious protein and can form part of a balanced diet, while supporting the health of the planet. It is high in protein, high in fibre, low in saturated fat, and contains no cholesterol.

Quorn's mycoprotein is made from Fusarium venenatum, an ascomycete, which is a type of fungus that naturally occurs in the soil. Once harvested, the organism is fed with carbohydrate in large air-lift fermenters before being separated by centrifugation to form the Quorn's mycoprotein ‘dough’, that can be used in a variety of ways to make Quorn products.

No, common mushrooms are one type of fungi (Basidiomycetes), of which more than 60,000 species have so far been identified. Quorn's mycoprotein is made from another nutritious member of the fungi family, Fusarium venenatum, and is grown by fermentation.

No, Quorn's mycoprotein is not a soya product. Quorn's mycoprotein is a nutritious member of the fungi family, Fusarium venenatum, and is grown by fermentation.

Yes, Quorn's mycoprotein itself is vegan.

An increasing number of Quorn products are vegan; however, some products do contain a small amount of egg white. Please check the labelling.

Yes. The Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Scoring (PDCAAS) method for assessing protein nutritional quality takes into account the essential amino acid profile of foods, its digestibility, and its ability to supply essential amino acids in amounts required by humans. The PDCAAS for Quorn's mycoprotein is 0.99 of a possible 1.0, which is more than beef at 0.92

No, Quorn's mycoprotein is made by fermenting a blend of a natural fungus, glucose and minerals. All ingredients are purchased with a specification they are from a non-GM source. This can be checked by the Identification Preserved (IP) process, and by conducting polymerase chain reactions (PCRs).

No, it’s not possible to guarantee the organic status of all the ingredients used in Quorn's mycoprotein.

There is evidence to suggest that Quorn's mycoprotein may be useful in the management of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Data from a clinical trial investigating the effects of Quorn's mycoprotein on acute glycemia (glucose in the blood) and insulinemia (insulin in the blood) on healthy adults indicates that Quorn products, due to them being relatively low in free sugars, may have a beneficial role to play in the control of diabetes by influencing glycaemia and insulinaemia after a meal.¹ For further details on this topic, click here.

1. Turnbull WH, Ward T. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995;61(1):135–40.

There is evidence that Quorn's mycoprotein has greater satiating power than other foods with a similar fibre content. For further details on this topic, click here.

A number of studies suggest that Quorn's mycoprotein is associated with a reduction in low density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad”, cholesterol levels. For further details on this topic, click here.

No, the conditions under which Quorn's mycoprotein is produced prevent the production of mycotoxins. Every production batch is analysed using state of the art technology capable of detecting mycotoxins at the parts per billion (ppb) level.

The only side effect that may occur in susceptible individuals after eating Quorn products, similar to other fibre-containing foods, is flatulence. This generally only occurs after the first few times of eating the products, and soon disappears.

All protein foods have the potential to cause an adverse reaction in some consumers. For example, about one in 200 people are thought to be intolerant to soya, and even more are thought to be allergic to shellfish.

Given that Quorn's mycoprotein is made from fungus, it's possible that some people who react to other fungi may also react to Quorn products.

The UK Food Standards Agency states that "research estimates that between 1 in 100,000 to 200,000 people will react to it" (Quorn™ products.)

In January 2011, Quorn held a one-off, independent expert panel in London to discuss consumer reports of adverse reactions to Quorn's mycoprotein.

• The number of reported adverse reactions to Quorn's mycoprotein is very low and it is likely that most of these incidents relate to the high fibre content
• In certain individuals, or under certain conditions, consuming Quorn's mycoprotein could speed up the normal transit of foods from the small to the large intestine. This could, in turn, cause the fibre in Quorn's mycoprotein to be fermented very rapidly in the large intestine, leading to symptoms of gastrointestinal distress of the type reported by some consumers
• The small numbers of consumers at risk from this type of gut response may have an imbalance in their normal gut bacteria, an unusual dietary intake of fibre (too low or too high) or may suffer from irritable bowel syndrome

The panel recommended that improvements should be made around how data on adverse reactions are collected in order to understand better which types of consumers may be susceptible. Quorn have taken on board this recommendation.

Expert opinion and experience in use shows that foods made using Quorn's mycoprotein are less allergenic than soy, nuts, dairy, and other high protein foods.¹ However, as a protein, Quorn's mycoprotein has the potential to cause allergic reaction. Some Quorn foods also contain egg, milk, wheat or barley, which may be allergenic for some people. Therefore, consumers should be mindful of their personal sensitivities when introducing this food into their diet.

1. EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies), 2014. Scientific Opinion on the evaluation of allergenic foods and food ingredients for labelling purposes. EFSA Journal 2014;12(11):3894, 286.

Quorn's mycoprotein has distinct environmental benefits. Producing protein through fermentation is more efficient and far more sustainable than protein derived from rearing animals. Quorn's mycoprotein has a significantly smaller carbon footprint and requires less land and water resources than livestock production.

The product carbon footprint of Quorn's mycoprotein can be considered to be at least 90% lower than that of beef. The water footprint of Quorn's mycoprotein is 20 times lower than that of beef (global average).

The product carbon footprint of Quorn's mycoprotein can be considered to be at least 70% lower than that of chicken, and the water footprint of Quorn's mycoprotein is 6 times lower than chicken.