Valorization of Mushroom Residues for Functional Food Packaging

Author: mycolabadmin
11/9/2025
View Source

Summary

Mushrooms produce large amounts of waste during growth and processing, but these leftovers contain valuable compounds that can protect food and extend shelf life. Scientists are developing ways to extract these beneficial compounds and add them to eco-friendly packaging films, creating materials that fight bacteria and oxidation naturally. This approach transforms mushroom waste into useful products while reducing environmental pollution, making food packaging safer and more sustainable for consumers.

Background

The mushroom industry generates over 5 million tonnes of residues annually, including spent mushroom substrate, trimming residues, and extraction byproducts. These residues are rich in bioactive compounds such as β-glucans, phenolic compounds, proteins, and chitin but are often discarded or used in low-value applications. The transition toward circular economy principles and sustainable packaging materials presents an opportunity to valorize these mushroom residues as functional ingredients for eco-friendly food packaging.

Objective

This review explores the potential of mushroom industrial residues as sources of functional compounds for sustainable food packaging. It examines the bioactive compounds present in mushroom residues, assesses their functional properties for packaging applications, evaluates extraction and incorporation techniques, and addresses technical, regulatory, and economic challenges to commercial viability.

Results

Mushroom residues contain significant quantities of bioactive compounds with demonstrated antioxidant, antimicrobial, and barrier properties suitable for food packaging. Green extraction techniques effectively recover these compounds while maintaining stability. Integration into biopolymers through blending, coating, and grafting approaches produces films with enhanced mechanical strength, barrier properties, and bioactivity. Commercial applications remain limited but include mycelium composites and experimental active films.

Conclusion

Mushroom residues represent a promising renewable source for functional food packaging materials that align with circular economy principles. While technical challenges regarding stability, scalability, and regulatory compliance remain, optimization of extraction technologies and continued research into compound stability and polymer compatibility could enable widespread adoption. The valorization of mushroom residues offers simultaneous environmental and economic benefits through waste reduction and high-value material development.

Published in:International Journal of Molecular Sciences,
Study Type:Review,
Source: 10.3390/ijms262210870; PMID: 41303359