This research explored how adding common food supplements like barley can improve the growth of fungal materials that could replace plastics and other environmentally harmful materials. The scientists found that adding ground barley significantly enhanced fungal growth, offering a simple way to produce sustainable materials from waste. Impacts on everyday life: – Enables production of eco-friendly packaging and building materials from agricultural waste – Provides a way to reduce food waste by using it to create useful materials – Makes it easier for local manufacturers to produce sustainable alternatives to plastics – Supports development of circular economies in communities – Demonstrates how common foods can improve production of biodegradable materials