waste valorization – mycolab.ai

The Food–Materials Nexus: Next Generation Bioplastics and Advanced Materials from Agri‐Food Residues

mycolabadmin

This review explores how food waste and agricultural byproducts can be transformed into useful bioplastics and advanced materials. By breaking down food residues into their component building blocks—like cellulose, pectin, and proteins—scientists can create eco-friendly plastics suitable for packaging, medical devices, and electronic applications. This approach supports a circular economy where waste becomes a valuable resource rather than an environmental burden.

From purposeless residues to biocomposites: A hyphae made connection

mycolabadmin

Researchers developed eco-friendly packaging materials using mushroom mycelium and agricultural waste from fruit and sugar cane processing. Two native Colombian fungal species were grown on leftover fruit peels and bagasse to create lightweight, biodegradable composites. From just 50 kilograms of fruit peel waste, nearly 1,840 cups can be manufactured, offering a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging that naturally decomposes after use.

Harnessing mushrooms for poultry nutrition: Boosting health, immunity, and productivity

mycolabadmin

Mushrooms and mushroom stems are emerging as natural feed additives that can significantly improve poultry health, growth, and egg/meat quality while reducing the need for antibiotics. These fungi contain beneficial compounds that boost immune function, reduce harmful bacteria, and protect against cellular damage. By using mushroom byproducts that are typically discarded, farmers can create more sustainable and environmentally friendly poultry production systems while improving overall bird health and productivity.

Applications of Natural Polymers in the Grapevine Industry: Plant Protection and Value-Added Utilization of Waste

mycolabadmin

Grapevines face significant challenges from drought, extreme temperatures, and fungal diseases. Natural polymers like chitosan, alginate, and cellulose can create protective coatings on grapes that help them retain water, resist pests, and stay healthy. Additionally, waste from grape processing can be recycled into valuable compounds and encapsulated in these polymers for use as plant strengtheners or in food and pharmaceuticals, creating a more sustainable wine industry.

The Silent Revolution of Brewer’s Spent Grain: Meat/Food Innovations Through Circularity, Resource Recovery, and Nutritional Synergy—A Review

mycolabadmin

Brewer’s spent grain is a leftover from beer production that can be transformed into nutritious ingredient for meat products and other foods. When added to burgers and sausages, it increases protein and fiber content while reducing fat, making healthier versions of these foods without sacrificing taste. This approach helps reduce food waste from breweries while providing consumers with more nutritious meat products in a sustainable way.

Fungal Biorefinery: Mushrooming Opportunities

mycolabadmin

Scientists are discovering how fungi can be grown to create useful materials as alternatives to plastics and other petroleum-based products. By cultivating fungal filaments on agricultural waste, researchers can produce foam-like materials for packaging, strong fibers for textiles, and special carbon materials for energy storage. These fungi-based materials are biodegradable, help recycle waste, and require less energy to produce than traditional synthetic materials.

Waste Rose Flower and Lavender Straw Biomass—An Innovative Lignocellulose Feedstock for Mycelium Bio-Materials Development Using Newly Isolated Ganoderma resinaceum GA1M

mycolabadmin

Researchers developed eco-friendly building materials by growing mushroom mycelium (Ganoderma resinaceum) on waste residues from rose and lavender essential oil production. These waste biomasses, typically discarded or burned, were successfully converted into biocomposites with properties comparable to hempcrete and other sustainable materials. The resulting mycelium-based materials are completely natural, biodegradable, and possess antimicrobial and aromatic properties, offering a promising sustainable alternative to synthetic materials.

Use of Limestone Sludge in the Preparation of ɩ-Carrageenan/Alginate-Based Films

mycolabadmin

Researchers have developed a method to convert limestone waste from stone quarries into a useful material for making biodegradable plastic films. By dissolving limestone in acid to extract calcium ions, they created a crosslinking solution that strengthens films made from seaweed-derived compounds like alginate and carrageenan. These films show promise as environmentally-friendly alternatives to conventional plastic packaging while helping solve industrial waste problems.

Functional and Metabolomic Analyses of Chamomile Jelly Derived from Gelatin Capsule Waste with Inulin and Polydextrose as Prebiotic Sugar Substitutes

mycolabadmin

Researchers developed a healthy jelly product using leftover gelatin capsules from the pharmaceutical industry combined with chamomile tea and prebiotic fibers (inulin or polydextrose) as sugar substitutes. The best formulation containing 50% inulin substitution received the highest consumer preference while providing nutritional benefits, being cholesterol-free, and promoting beneficial bacteria growth. This innovative approach transforms industrial waste into a functional food that combines taste, health benefits, and sustainability.

Upcycling end-of-life mattresses into sustainable insulation materials through development of mycelium based biocomposites

mycolabadmin

Scientists developed an innovative way to recycle old mattresses by growing fungus on shredded mattress waste, creating a new insulation material. The resulting biocomposite is extremely heat-resistant, remaining stable even at temperatures above 990°C, and has insulation properties comparable to commercial products. This approach converts waste mattresses into valuable building materials while promoting environmental sustainability through circular economy principles.

Research Keyword: waste valorization