White-rot fungi are special mushrooms that can break down wood and produce unique chemical compounds with amazing health benefits. These compounds have been found to fight cancer, kill harmful bacteria, reduce inflammation, and protect nerve cells. Scientists are excited about using these natural fungal compounds to create new medicines and treat various diseases in the future.
The turpentine tree (Pistacia terebinthus L.) is a Mediterranean plant traditionally used in food and medicine that is now being studied for modern food applications. Its fruits, seeds, leaves, and resin contain powerful compounds that fight bacteria, reduce oxidative stress, and promote health. Scientists are developing new techniques like microencapsulation and fermentation to preserve its beneficial properties in functional foods, yogurt, and other products. This underutilized plant could become an important natural ingredient for food preservation and health supplements.
Maitake mushrooms, long used in Asian traditional medicine, contain powerful compounds that may help fight cancer, support immune function, manage blood sugar, and protect skin health. Research shows they can inhibit bacterial and viral infections, reduce tumor growth in various cancer types, and improve overall metabolic health. These mushrooms can be incorporated into food-based supplements and skincare products. While promising results have been seen in laboratory and animal studies, more human clinical trials are needed to fully understand their benefits and safety.
This review examines special compounds called meroterpenoids found in Ganoderma mushrooms (commonly known as Reishi). Scientists have identified over 350 of these compounds from 14 different Ganoderma species. These compounds show promise for treating various health conditions including cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, and inflammatory disorders. The researchers also propose how these compounds are made inside the mushroom, which could help scientists produce them more efficiently for medical use.
Mushrooms contain special compounds called polysaccharides that act as natural antioxidants and can fight viruses. These compounds help boost the immune system and reduce inflammation in the body. While mushrooms have shown promise against various viruses including COVID-19, more research is needed to fully develop them as treatments.
This review explores how food waste from fruit and vegetable processing can be transformed into valuable health supplements and functional foods. By-products like peels, seeds, and leaves contain powerful compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Modern extraction techniques can efficiently recover these compounds in environmentally friendly ways, making it possible to create nutritious supplements while reducing food waste and supporting sustainable food production.
This review discusses specialized sensors that can quickly measure the total amount of beneficial plant compounds (phenolics) in foods like tea, wine, coffee, and fruits. These biosensors use enzymes from mushrooms and other sources to detect phenolic compounds more efficiently than traditional methods. The sensors can be made more effective by using tiny materials called nanomaterials, which improve how well they work and how long they last.
This comprehensive review explores how compounds found in plants can protect our bodies from harmful damage caused by oxidative stress, which is linked to aging and various diseases. Plant-based foods rich in antioxidants like berries, leafy greens, and olive oil contain special molecules that can help prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. The review highlights that these natural compounds work through multiple beneficial mechanisms beyond just antioxidant activity, making plant-based diets an effective strategy for maintaining health and preventing disease.
Researchers studied how adding olive mill waste to mushroom growing substrate affects the beneficial compounds in two edible mushrooms. They used advanced computer analysis of chemical data to find that this waste product increases healthy compounds like hericenones while reducing potentially harmful mycotoxins. This discovery could help make mushroom farming more sustainable and produce safer, healthier mushrooms for consumers.
Mushroom-forming fungi, particularly species like shiitake and oyster mushrooms, naturally produce valuable compounds called terpenoids used in medicines, food, and cosmetics. Scientists are learning to genetically engineer these fungi to produce even larger amounts of these beneficial compounds, potentially making them as important to biotechnology as baker’s yeast and mold have been historically. This could create new sustainable sources for medicinal compounds and industrial chemicals.