Methods for lowering gluten content using fungal cultures

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for the preparation of a gluten-containing grain having lowered levels of gluten. The method includes providing a prepared gluten-containing grain which may be optionally sterilized or pasteurized. The prepared gluten-containing grain is then inoculated with a prepared fungal component and incubated. In one embodiment the prepared fungal component myceliates the prepared gluten-containing grain while incubated and during this process hydrolyzes gluten in the prepared gluten-containing grain. The present invention also includes a gluten-containing grain having lowered levels of gluten which has been prepared by the methods of the invention.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for preparation of a gluten-containing grain having reduced levels of gluten, comprising:
 a) providing a prepared gluten-containing grain comprising the steps of:
 i. providing a gluten-containing grain; 
 ii. sterilizing or pasteurizing the gluten-containing grain to provide prepared gluten-containing grain; 
   b) providing a prepared fungal component;   c) inoculating the prepared gluten-containing grain with the prepared fungal component; and   d) incubating the prepared gluten-containing grain and prepared fungal component to hydrolyze gluten, resulting in the gluten-containing grain having reduced levels of gluten, wherein the gluten comprises prolamin, glutelin or prolamin/glutelin aggregate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises drying the gluten-containing grain from step (d). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises pasteurizing the gluten-containing grain from step (d). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method of step a) further comprises hydrating the gluten-containing grain. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gluten-containing grain having lowered levels of gluten has had more than 90% of gluten hydrolyzed compared to the prepared gluten-containing grain. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gluten-containing grain having lowered levels of gluten has had more than 95% of gluten hydrolyzed, compared to the prepared gluten-containing grain. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gluten-containing grain having lowered levels of gluten has had more than 99.99% of gluten hydrolyzed, compared to the prepared gluten-containing grain. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prepared fungal component is a submerged fungal liquid tissue culture. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the incubating step comprises culturing to induce myceliation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the culturing step is performed for between one and forty-two days. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the submerged fungal liquid tissue culture is grown in a human food-grade media. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the submerged fungal liquid tissue culture is grown in an animal feed-grade media 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein gluten is selected from the group consisting of prolamin, glutelin and an aggregate of prolamin and glutelin. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein gluten content is measured by measuring prolamin, glutenin, or prolamin/glutelin aggregate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prepared fungal component is selected from the group consisting of  Hericium erinaceus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus citrinopileatus, Pleurotus djamor, Trametes versicolor, Lentinula edodes, Armillariella mellea Tricholoma matsutake, Flammulina velutipes, Volvariella volvacea, Agaricus campestris, Agaricus blazei, Grifola frondosa, Pholiota nameko, Agrocybe cylindracea, Boletus ornatipes, Boletus edulis, Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma applanatum, Hypsizygus marmoreus, Morchella angusticeps, Morchella esculenta, Morchella hortensis, Phellinus linteus, Auricularia auricula, Tremella fuciformis, Inonotus obliquus, Fomes fomentarius, Laetiporus sulfureus, Bridgeoporus nobillismus, Stropharia rugosoannulata, Clitocybe  spp.,  Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps militaris , and  Polyporus umbellatus , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the prepared fungal component is  M. esculenta.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the prepared fungal component is  T. matsutake.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prepared fungal component is prepared by a method comprising screening a number of strains of fungi and selecting a strain having an enhanced ability to tolerate, grow on, metabolize or utilize gluten. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prepared fungal component is prepared by a method comprising maintaining a strain of fungi on an undefined media comprising organic gluten and an energy source. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gluten-containing grain is selected from the group consisting of  Triticum  spp.,  Hordeum  spp.,  Secale  spp.,  Zea  spp.,  Sorghum  spp., and  Avena  spp. 
     
     
         21 . A gluten-containing grain having lowered levels of gluten prepared by the method of  claim 1 .