Biotechnological Cultivation of Edible Macrofungi: An Alternative for Obtaining Nutraceutics
- Author: mycolabadmin
- 2013-01-03
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Summary
This research explores how modern biotechnology can be used to grow medicinal mushrooms more efficiently in liquid cultures, making it easier to produce health-promoting compounds. Impact on everyday life:
– More affordable access to mushroom-based health supplements
– Increased availability of natural medicinal compounds
– More sustainable and efficient production of nutritional supplements
– Development of new natural health products
– Reduced cost of mushroom-derived medicines
Background
Macrofungi have been part of human culture for thousands of years and are documented as food sources in major historical civilizations. They possess numerous nutraceutical properties including anti-cancer, anti-tumor, cholesterol-lowering, antiviral, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory effects.
Objective
To provide an overview of using liquid-state fermentation as a technological tool for obtaining edible fungi and studying their bioactive compounds, by examining different cultivation conditions and results from recent years.
Results
Liquid fermentation cultivation of macrofungi demonstrated significant reduction in production time and increased metabolite yields compared to traditional methods. The technique proved effective for cultivating various species including Agaricus, Flammulina, Grifola, Pleurotus and Lentinula, with particularly promising results for Lentinula edodes (Shiitake).
Conclusion
Biotechnology, particularly liquid fermentation, offers an efficient method for producing bioactive compounds from edible macrofungi. This approach allows better control of variables, higher yields, and reduced costs, making nutraceutical products more accessible to consumers.
- Published in:Revista Iberoamericana de Micología,
- Study Type:Review,
- Source: 10.1016/j.riam.2012.03.011