Production of polysaccharide from Agaricus subrufescens Peck on solid-state fermentation

Area of Science:

• Mycology and Biotechnology
• Food Science and Nutraceuticals

Background:

• Fungal products like nutraceuticals and natural drugs are gaining interest.
• Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is used for fungal biomass production, particularly for spawn on pretreated grains.
• Fungal polysaccharides, such as glucomannans, are valuable compounds with potential health benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize solid-state fermentation (SSF) conditions for maximizing glucomannan production in Agaricus subrufescens spawn.
• To identify key factors influencing glucomannan yield, including grain pretreatment, pH, inoculum amount, and incubation temperature.
• To evaluate the potential of the produced fungal spawn as a nutraceutical ingredient due to its high glucomannan content.

Main Methods:

• Wheat grains were pretreated and used as a substrate for SSF of Agaricus subrufescens.
• Optimized cooking (21 min) and resting (24 min) times for wheat grains were determined.
• Factors like substrate pH (influenced by CaSO(4) and CaCO(3) amendments), inoculum amount (10.3%), and incubation temperature (27.2°C) were investigated.

Main Results:

• Optimal cooking and resting times for wheat grains were established for glucomannan production.
• Substrate pH, particularly around 6.6 with 0.25% CaCO(3) addition, positively influenced glucomannan yield.
• The highest glucomannan content (6.89%) was achieved with a specific inoculum amount and incubation temperature.
• No supplement or low CaCO(3) addition generally yielded better results than higher concentrations or CaSO(4).

Conclusions:

• Optimized SSF parameters significantly enhance glucomannan production in Agaricus subrufescens spawn.
• The produced spawn, rich in glucomannans, shows promise as a functional food ingredient or nutraceutical.
• Glucomannans possess demonstrated immunostimulatory and antitumoral properties, supporting their use in health-related applications.