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Evaluation of Biomass and Chitin Production of Morchella Mushrooms Grown on Starch-Based Substrates

Summary

This research explored using starch-based agricultural waste products to grow valuable morel mushroom biomass rich in beneficial compounds. The study showed that potato peels and wheat grains could be effectively converted into mushroom material containing healthy polysaccharides and chitin. This has implications for both reducing food waste and producing nutritional supplements. Key impacts on everyday life: – Provides a way to convert food industry waste into valuable nutritional products – Offers potential new sources of dietary supplements and functional food ingredients – Demonstrates sustainable approaches to mushroom cultivation – Could help reduce costs of mushroom-derived nutritional products – Shows promise for developing new food processing techniques

Background

Mushrooms are widely known for their taste, flavor and functional properties due to their unique chemical composition. Chitin is a structural polysaccharide of fungal cell walls that can reach up to 42% of dry mass. Morels (Morchella spp.) are among the most desirable edible wild mushrooms with high commercial value and medicinal properties. While artificial cultivation of morel fruit bodies is difficult, mycelial biomass production could be an alternative source of bioactive compounds.

Objective

To determine the glucosamine and polysaccharide contents in the mycelia of different Morchella strains grown on starch-based substrates, and establish relationships between biomass production and glucosamine content for indirect biomass estimation in solid-state fermentations.

Results

Submerged fermentations resulted in glucosamine content around 3.0%. In solid-state fermentations, high linear growth rates up to 20.6 mm/day were achieved. Increased glucosamine and total polysaccharides content were observed after sclerotia formation. The highest growth rate of 9.05 mm/day was determined on wheat grains and maximum biomass yield of 407 mg/g on wheat grain-potato peel mixture. Total polysaccharide content reached up to 18.4% of dried biomass.

Conclusion

Morchella strains successfully produced biomass rich in glucosamine and polysaccharides through solid-state fermentation using starchy materials. Glucosamine content proved to be a reliable indicator for indirect biomass estimation. The mycelium and sclerotia could serve as alternative sources of bioactive compounds. The results demonstrate potential for bioconversion of starch-based agro-industrial waste streams into valuable morel biomass with nutritional and bioactive properties.
  • Published in:Foods,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.3390/foods8070239
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