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Ganoderma lucidum Mycelia Mass and Bioactive Compounds Production through Grape Pomace and Cheese Whey Valorization

Summary

Researchers successfully grew Ganoderma lucidum mushrooms using leftover materials from wine and cheese production instead of expensive lab chemicals. The mushroom mycelium produced valuable compounds called polysaccharides that have antioxidant and health-promoting properties. This approach reduces food waste while creating beneficial substances, making it economically and environmentally sustainable.

Background

Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom with proven bioactive properties including immunomodulatory, antitumor, and antioxidant activities. Controlled fermentation of fungal mycelia offers advantages for producing high-value compounds such as polysaccharides and proteins. Agro-industrial by-products like grape pomace and cheese whey represent underutilized resources that could serve as sustainable fermentation feedstocks.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate submerged fermentation of a newly isolated Greek strain of G. lucidum using grape pomace extract (GPE) and cheese whey permeate (CWP) as nutrient supplements to replace conventional synthetic media. The research focused on optimizing biomass productivity and production of bioactive intracellular and extracellular polysaccharides under static and agitated conditions.

Results

Under shaking conditions with supplemented GPE, maximum biomass reached 17.8 g/L. With CWP supplemented with 0.25% Tween 80 as an elicitor, biomass production reached approximately 13 g/L with improved productivity. Agitation significantly enhanced biomass productivity and polysaccharide production compared to static conditions. Crude IPS extracts demonstrated antioxidant activity with protein content ranging from 6-37.8% and polysaccharide content from 32-65.5%, depending on substrate and fermentation timepoint.

Conclusion

The study successfully demonstrates that food industry by-products (grape pomace and cheese whey) can effectively replace conventional synthetic media for G. lucidum fermentation, supporting the concept of circular bioeconomy. Agitation proved essential for optimizing biomass productivity and bioactive compound production. This bioprocessing approach integrates food waste valorization with generation of potential functional compounds for food applications.
  • Published in:Molecules,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: PMID: 37687160, DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176331
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