Assessing the effects of different agro-residue as substrates on growth cycle and yield of Grifola frondosa and statistical optimization of substrate components using simplex-lattice design

Farming of Medicinal Mushrooms

Since most of the medicinal mushrooms are rare in nature, production of fungal fruiting bodies is hardly covering the food market and the production of pharmaceutically active products, so artificial cultivation of fruiting bodies in a form of farming has been intensively established during the last 40 years. Various cultivation technologies are presented, including traditional farming of fruiting bodies on wood logs and beds, and also on other substrate-based media, such as cultivation in bags, bottles, and others. The advantage of farming is a cheap but time-consuming large-scale production. Agriculture, wood, and food industry wastes represent the main substrates that are in this process delignified and enriched in proteins and highly valuable pharmaceutically active compounds. The present article presents an overview of achievements in artificial cultivation of fruiting bodies, including the most relevant medicinal mushroom species, such as Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa, Pleurotus ostreatus, Agaricus brasiliensis, and Lentinula edodes.

Odor Profile of Four Cultivated and Freeze-Dried Edible Mushrooms by Using Sensory Panel, Electronic Nose and GC-MS

Cultivated mushrooms are well-known nutrient inputs for an equilibrated diet. Some species are broadly appreciated due to their medicinal properties. Lately, a number of novel foods and nutraceuticals based on dehydrated and freeze-dried powder obtained from cultivated mushrooms has been reaching the market. The food industry requires fast and reliable tools to prevent fraud. In this, work we have cultivated Agaricus bisporus sp. bisporus (AB) (white button mushroom), Agaricus bisporus sp. brunnescens (ABP) (portobello), Lentinula edodes (LE) (shiitake) and Grifola frondosa (GF) (maitake) using tailor-made substrates for the different species and standardized cropping conditions, which were individually freeze-dried to obtain the samples under evaluation. The aim of this article was to validate the use of two different methodologies, namely, electronic nose and sensory panel, to discriminate the olfactory profile of nutritional products based on freeze-dried mushrooms from the different cultivated species. Additionally, GC-MS was used to detect and quantify the most abundant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the samples. The multivariate analysis performed proved the utility of electronic nose as an analytical tool, which was similar to the classical sensory panel but faster in distinguishing among the different species, with one limitation it being unable to differentiate between the same species. GC-MS analysis showed the chemical volatile formulation of the samples, also showing significant differences between different samples but high similarities between varieties of the same cultivated species. The techniques employed can be used to prevent fraud and have the potential to evaluate further medicinal mushroom species and build solid and trustful connections between these novel food products and potential consumers.

Edible mushroom industry in China: current state and perspectives

China is one of the largest producers and exporters of wild edible fungi in the world. Cultivation mushroom production value ranks within the top five after grain, vegetable, fruit, and edible oil plantation, greater than sugar, cotton, and tobacco business. More than 40 new varieties of high market value mushrooms from our group were highlighted in this article. Mushroom cultivations have a high impact on China's poverty alleviation program, with earnings at least ten times higher than rice and corn. The products were exported to 137 countries and regions, mainly to Japan, South Korea, ASEAN, the USA, and the European Union, among these, Japan is the biggest import market for cultivated mushrooms from China. Rapid development in the market and an increased demand for edible fungi generally enhance the economy of domestic edible fungi. We are the leading research group in logical farm design that is HACCP-certified to reduce the cost of investment for agriculture, thus broadening the consumption market of edible mushrooms and forming a demand-oriented leading industry for the promotion of human health. The enterprise needs to re-examine the operation plan and the strategic thinking to improve the fundamental drivers based on the available resources of the locality. Mushrooms growing intergrate with upgraded technologies and equipment to become smart agriculture which have smart production and intelligent factories. The purpose of suitable products will not change: delicious, nutritious, healthy, and modern. KEY POINTS: • Cultivation mushroom production value ranks within the top five after grain, vegetable, fruit, and edible oil plantation, greater than sugar, cotton, and tobacco business. • Mushroom cultivations have a high impact on China's poverty alleviation program, with earnings at least ten times higher than rice and corn. • The development of transportation and industrialization of mushrooms facilitate the modernization of mushroom industry in China.

The yield and quality of Pleurotus abieticola grown on nematode-infected Pinus massoniana chips

In this study, we investigated the use of nematode-infected Pinus massoniana chips (NPC) as the main ingredient in Pleurotus abieticola substrate. The effects of different substrate formulas on nutritional parameters, including total sugars, polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, amino acids, and fatty acids were assessed. The results indicated that NPC was suitable for P. abieticola cultivation. However, the addition of certain amounts of corncobs (CC) and cottonseed hulks (CH) improved the yield. Substrate T5 (45% NPC, 6% CC, and 27% CH) had the greatest yield (121.38 g per bag), 34.56% greater than the yield of the control (78% poplar chips), which was 79.43 g per bag. Across the 11 substrate formulas tested, the total sugar, polysaccharide, crude protein, and crude lipid contents were 16.60-28.90%, 2.71-3.73%, 36.49-45.42%, and 1.03-4.34%, respectively. On all substrates, the fruiting bodies contained 17 amino acids, primarily glutamine (2.42-4.11%), followed by proline (2.56-3.73%), leucine (2.09-3.19%), phenylalanine (1.56-2.61%), and glycine (1.76-2.55%). The fruiting bodies contained 12 fatty acids, of which linoleic acid was the most abundant (82.36%-84.03%), followed by palmitic acid (6.42%-6.89%) and oleic acid (5.50%-7.34%). The fatty acid content was closely associated with the NPC content, which might indicate that NPC promoted fatty acid accumulation. Thus, NPC represents a new substrate suitable for P. abieticola cultivation.

Oil Press-Cakes and Meals Valorization through Circular Economy Approaches: A Review

The food industry generates a large amount of waste every year, which opens up a research field aimed at minimizing and efficiently managing this issue to support the concept of zero waste. From the extraction process of oilseeds results oil cakes. These residues are a source of bioactive compounds (protein, dietary fiber, antioxidants) with beneficial properties for health, that can be used in foods, cosmetics, textile, and pharmaceutical industries. They can also serve as substrates for the production of enzymes, antibiotics, biosurfactants, and mushrooms. Other applications are in animal feedstuff and for composites, bio-fuel, and films production. This review discusses the importance of oilseed and possible valorization methods for the residues obtained in the oil industry.

Effects of mixed agro-residues (corn crop waste) on lignin-degrading enzyme activities, growth, and quality of Lentinula edodes

Using agro-residues in bioreactors to produce mushrooms is an important component of eco-agriculture. Here, we tested the cultivation of Lentinula edodes with corn cob (CC) and corn straw (CS), and then evaluated the resulting enzyme activities, agronomic traits, textures and nutrient compositions of mushrooms. Laccase (T1 formula, 3.26 g U⁻¹) and carboxymethyl cellulase (T3 formula, 1.01 g U⁻¹) activities were the highest at the time for a complete substrate colonization stage (TCSC), while acidic xylanase activity was the highest (CK formula, 4.05 g U⁻¹) in the mushroom block to color-turned (TMBCT) stage. The biological efficiency of growth on the T6 formula was 8.82% higher than growth on the CK formula, wherein the low C/N ratio of the substrate had an obvious negative effect on yield while the mass ratio of pileus (MRP) of fruiting bodies did not change with mixed substrates. No significant differences were observed in mineral composition for CK formulas, but corn crop waste (CCW) formulas exhibited more optimal nutritional contents. A formula containing more corn cob and sawdust (SD) (sum of at least 70%) as the substrate can produce fruiting bodies with good hardness. These results indicate that the use of corn cobs as the main ingredient, mixed with sawdust and corn straw to grow L. edodes provides a more efficient use of agro-residues for growth. Thus, mixed agro-residue formulas have exceptional advantages in texture, nutrition of fruiting bodies, and yields.

Using agro-residues in bioreactors to produce mushrooms is an important component of eco-agriculture.

Optimization of agro-residues as substrates for Pleurotus pulmonarius production

The "replacing wood by grass" project can partially resolve the conflict between mushroom production and balancing the ecosystem, while promoting agricultural economic sustainability. Pleurotus pulmonarius is an economically important edible and medicinal mushroom, which is traditionally produced using a substrate consisting of sawdust and cottonseed hulls, supplemented with wheat bran. A simplex lattice design was applied to systemically optimize the cultivation of P. pulmonarius using agro-residues as the main substrate to replace sawdust and cottonseed hulls. The effects of differing amounts of wheat straw, corn straw, and soybean straw on the variables of yield, mycelial growth rate, stipe length, pileus length, pileus width, and time to harvest were demonstrated. Results indicated that a mix of wheat straw, corn straw, and soybean straw may have significantly positive effects on each of these variables. The high yield comprehensive formula was then optimized to include 40.4% wheat straw, 20.3% corn straw, 18.3% soybean straw, combined with 20.0% wheat bran, and 1.0% light CaCO3 (C/N = 42.50). The biological efficiency was 15.2% greater than that of the control. Most encouraging was the indication that the high yield comprehensive formula may shorten the time to reach the reproductive stage by 6 days, compared with the control. Based on the results of this study, agro-residues may be used as a suitable substitution for sawdust and cottonseed hulls as the main cultivation substrates of P. pulmonarius. These results provide a theoretical basis for the "replacing wood by grass" project on edible mushroom cultivation.

Effects of corn stalk cultivation substrate on the growth of the slippery mushroom (Pholiota microspora)

Corn stalks are a major source of agricultural waste in China that have the potential for more efficient utilisation. In this study, we designed substrate formulas with different proportions of corn stalks to cultivate Pholiota microspora. The substrate formula for P. microspora cultivation that could partially or completely replace sawdust with corn stalks was selected through the analysis of mycelial growth rates, fruiting body traits, yield, biological efficiency, nutrients, and mineral composition. Our results showed that the substrate formula T2 (38% wood chips and 38% corn stalks) resulted in the highest yield of 275.66 ± 2.87 g per bag, which was 6.60% higher than that of formula CK, and the highest biological efficiency of 90.75 ± 0.04%, which was 4.58% higher than that of CK, with no significant differences from CK in terms of fruiting body traits, nutrients, or mineral composition. The substrate formula T1 (19% corn stalks) led to mushroom yields with the highest mineral and amino acid contents and was thus more suitable for the cultivation of medicinal P. microspora. Therefore, substrates comprising a mixture of corn stalks and sawdust can be used as a novel, inexpensive, and high-yield alternative for the cultivation of P. microspora.