MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Mushroom stem-based diets elicit region-specific shifts in rainbow trout gut microbiota

Summary

Researchers fed rainbow trout different diets containing mushroom stem waste from grocery stores for six weeks and studied how the mushroom ingredients affected the fish’s gut bacteria. They found that mushroom diets promoted beneficial bacteria in different parts of the fish’s intestine without harming the fish. This research shows that mushroom waste can be recycled into healthy fish feed while supporting the fish’s digestive health and supporting a more circular food system.

Background

The intestinal microbiota of fish plays a crucial role in host health and metabolism, exhibiting region-specific functions influenced by dietary components. Mushroom-derived meals have emerged as novel sustainable ingredients with established prebiotic potential in aquaculture.

Objective

This study evaluated the effects of mushroom stem meals from three species (Agaricus bisporus, Lentinula edodes, and Pleurotus ostreatus) as sustainable ingredients on the intestinal microbiota and histomorphology of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Results

Mushroom stem meals did not affect intestinal mucosa integrity while inducing region-specific shifts in microbial communities. Shannon index decreased in pyloric caeca and anterior intestine of fish fed Agaricus bisporus diet. Agaricus bisporus promoted beneficial bacteria (Mycoplasma, Legionella, Weissella), Pleurotus ostreatus increased Paenibacillus, and control diet showed higher Desulfobacterota abundance.

Conclusion

Mushroom stem meals beneficially modulate intestinal microbiota in rainbow trout with region-specific effects. These findings support the use of mushroom stem meals as functional ingredients with prebiotic effects that enhance intestinal health and demonstrate the importance of evaluating diet-microbiota interactions across distinct intestinal regions.
  • Published in:Scientific Reports,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMID: 41326511, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-27707-1
Scroll to Top