Morphology Engineering: Uniform Ganoderma lucidum Pellet Formation in Coconut Juice by Bidirectional Submerged...

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Mycology
• Food Science

Background:

• Ganoderma lucidum mycelia can form distinct morphologies, including clumps and pellets, through bidirectional submerged fermentation (BSF).
• Pellet morphology of Ganoderma lucidum is associated with enhanced production of bioactive compounds like polysaccharides and triterpenes, and increased antioxidant activity.
• Coconut water supports Ganoderma lucidum growth, while coconut milk alone does not support mycelial development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of key fermentation parameters on Ganoderma lucidum pellet formation.
• To establish predictive models for Ganoderma lucidum pellet number and size.
• To determine optimal conditions for uniform Ganoderma lucidum pellet production in various coconut-based substrates.

Main Methods:

• Bidirectional submerged fermentation (BSF) was employed using coconut water and coconut milk as substrates.
• Key fermentation parameters including inoculum size, aeration rate, substrate viscosity, and rotation speed were systematically varied.
• Prediction models were developed to correlate fermentation parameters with pellet characteristics.

Main Results:

• Increased inoculum size, aeration rate, and rotation speed led to higher pellet numbers but smaller pellet sizes.
• Elevated substrate viscosity resulted in decreased pellet numbers and smaller pellet sizes.
• Rotation speed was identified as the most critical parameter influencing both morphology regulation and pellet formation.
• Addition of coconut meat to coconut milk enabled uniform pellet formation, with an average diameter of 3.5 mm and 3.34 × 10^5 pellets/L.

Conclusions:

• Fermentation parameters significantly regulate Ganoderma lucidum morphology and pellet formation.
• Optimized BSF conditions, particularly rotation speed, can control pellet size and number.
• Incorporating coconut meat into coconut milk is a viable strategy for achieving uniform Ganoderma lucidum pellet production, opening avenues for novel functional food development.