Nova Scotia entrepreneur developing mycelium as a sustainable, high-protein food product.

Researchers at Acadia University and entrepreneur Katie McNeill are growing mycelium on a local agricultural food waste substrate to make a powder that is reported to be about 40% protein, and they aim to open a small commercial facility in the Valley by the end of 2026.

Deep in a controlled lab chamber at Acadia University, researchers and an entrepreneur are growing mycelium — the root network of mushrooms — on a food-grade agricultural waste substrate. The project, led by Katie McNeill in partnership with biologist Allison Walker, tests different mushroom species and environmental conditions to produce a mycelium product intended for use as a high-protein powder. The team stops growth before mushrooms form and says the full cycle from start to harvest takes about a week to 10 days. Funding to date has mainly come from Invest Nova Scotia and the work is being developed under McNeill's company, Mycaro. Key facts: - The mycelium is grown on a specific food-grade agricultural waste chosen from a local Valley facility; the exact substrate has not been disclosed for proprietary reasons. - The process begins with a liquid mycelium broth mixed with the food waste, followed by staged growth and transfer to trays; growth is stopped before fruiting and harvest occurs in about 7–10 days. - The produced mycelium is reported as roughly 40% protein, which the article compares to hemp protein and notes is slightly below typical pea or soy isolates. - McNeill says her approach aims for less processing than some vat-based mycelium producers and to keep the product "as close to food as possible." - The operation uses indoor vertical stacking of trays and benefits from mushrooms growing in the dark, which the article reports can reduce energy needs compared with lighted vertical farms. - Short-term plans include increasing yield, partnering with Acadia's food lab for consumer testing, and establishing a small commercial production facility in the Valley by the end of 2026; additional outside investment is hoped for in the spring. Summary: The project brings together university research and local entrepreneurship to convert agricultural food waste into a mycelium-based protein product that the article reports is about 40% protein. The immediate focus is on improving yields and assessing consumer response, with a small commercial site targeted for late 2026 as the next major milestone.