Fusarium venenatum
| Fusarium venenatum | ||||||||||||
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| Fusarium venenatum |
Fusarium venenatum is a fungus, more precisely a mold, from which a mycoprotein can be derived.
It is used in the manufacture of Quorn, a meat substitute marketed to vegetarians.
In 2003 the Center for Science in the Public Interest issued the claim that the mycoprotein used in Quorn can be gastrotoxic, causing severe vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea in susceptible individuals.[1] The manufacturer of Quorn disputes the figure, claiming that only 0.0007% (1 in 146,000) suffers adverse reactions.[2] Leslie Bonci, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, has described the CSPI's claims as "overblown".[3]