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Yield, Nutritional Content, and Antioxidant Activity of Pleurotus ostreatus on Corncobs Supplemented with Herb Residues

Summary

This research demonstrates how agricultural waste products can be recycled to produce nutritious mushrooms. The study found that adding herb processing waste to traditional mushroom growing materials improved both the yield and nutritional value of oyster mushrooms. This has important implications for sustainable food production and waste management. Impacts on everyday life: • Provides a way to turn agricultural waste into nutritious food • Offers more nutritious mushrooms for consumers • Helps reduce environmental pollution from herb processing waste • Demonstrates sustainable farming practices • Could lead to more affordable mushroom production

Background

China is the largest consumer and producer of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) worldwide, generating over 30 million tons of herb residues annually after active ingredient extraction. These residues are typically disposed of through stacking, burial, or burning, causing environmental problems. However, herb residues contain 30-50% remaining medicinal active substances and represent a potentially valuable biomass resource that could be utilized in an environmentally friendly manner.

Objective

To investigate the effect of supplementing corncobs with different herb residues (compound Kushen injection residues and Qizhitongluo Capsule residues) on the yield, nutritional composition, and antioxidant activity of cultivated Pleurotus ostreatus mushrooms.

Results

Substrates supplemented with herb residues showed improved mycelial growth rates and yields compared to control corncobs. The highest yield (978g) was obtained from CC+30% QC2 substrate. Mushrooms grown on herb residue-supplemented substrates had significantly higher protein content (21.43-25.68% vs 18.35%), amino acids, minerals (especially Na and Ca), and total phenolic content. Antioxidant activity was also enhanced in mushrooms grown on herb residue substrates, with the lowest IC50 value (0.85 mg/mL) found in CC+30% CKI substrate.

Conclusion

Mixtures of corncobs with herb residues can be effectively utilized as substrates for P. ostreatus cultivation, resulting in improved yields and enhanced nutritional and antioxidant properties of the harvested mushrooms. This approach provides an environmentally friendly method for herb residue management while producing nutritionally enhanced mushrooms.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: 10.1080/12298093.2018.1454014
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