The advertising standards authority has declared that the Quorn brand of meat substitutes has misleadingly been referring to its products as containing 'mushroom protein'.
Further to the Journal's mushroom feature on August 30 which referred to the debate, manufacturer Marlow Foods has been instructed to delete the claim from its advertising. This is unless it gives equal prominence to its other ingredients, or explains its origin as a mycoprotein – found naturally in the soil but then put in a glucose medium and fermented.
The authority's decision was made after complaints from the mushroom industry which alleged Quorn was trying to transfer 'agreeable associations consumers have with mushrooms' to its product. This was in response to adverts implying Quorn mince and burgers were 'made from a natural mushroom protein'.
Marlow Foods has agreed to suspend the term 'mushroom protein' from its promotional material. The company's chairman, Sir John Krebs, has suggested the use of the term 'fungal' instead.
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