MyReactor - From Spore to Supper: Mycelium Protein for the Modern Household

Global population growth and rising global wealth are increasing demand for protein-rich foods, while conventional animal agriculture imposes significant environmental costs including greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and freshwater consumption. These challenges motivate the development of sustainable protein production methods that can operate within the spatial constraints of urban households. Mycelium, the filamentous root structure of fungi, offers a promising alternative due to its rapid growth, low resource requirements, and protein-rich biomass. This project presents the design and validation of a tabletop mycelium fermentation system intended to provide a small household protein supply using a modified 6-quart pressure cooker. The system integrates sterilization, sterile inoculation, gas exchange filtration, agitation, extraction, and user notification in a compact device suitable for home use. Modifications focus on the pressure cooker lid, where a unified bulkhead architecture enables sterile inoculation and filtered gas exchange while maintaining pressure integrity during sterilization. A servo-driven rotational system is incorporated to stimulate mixing in the growth medium. Experimental testing shows that the modified lid assembly withstands sterilization conditions of 15 psi and 250°F without leakage or deformation. Growth trials produce over 200 g of wet biomass (4.6kg when weighed with medium) per cycle, satisfying the engineering requirement for household protein production. Agitation increases biomass yield by approximately four times compared to static growth, and the final extraction system allows biomass removal in under one minute using less than 80 N of force. These results demonstrate a functional proof of concept for compact household mycelium cultivation and provide a foundation for future development of sustainable home-scale protein production systems.