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Harnessing fungal fermentation for waste-to-food conversion
Braydon Black1, Alessandra Massa2, Franklin P Lurie1
1Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Trends in Biotechnology
|March 28, 2026
Summary
Filamentous fungi can transform food and agricultural loss or waste (FALW) into sustainable food sources. This review explores innovative genetic, bioprocessing, and gastronomic strategies to harness fungi for a circular food economy.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Sustainable Food Systems
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Global food production faces significant losses, contributing to environmental degradation and economic inefficiency.
- Food and agricultural loss or waste (FALW) represents a substantial environmental burden, including greenhouse gas emissions.
- Innovative solutions are crucial to mitigate the negative impacts of FALW.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review emerging strategies for utilizing filamentous fungi to convert FALW into sustainable food.
- To explore the potential of fungi in addressing the global challenge of food waste.
Main Methods:
- Review of current research in fungal genetics for waste conversion.
- Analysis of bioprocessing techniques for fungal biomass production from waste streams.
- Examination of gastronomic applications for fungal-derived food products.
Main Results:
- Filamentous fungi possess natural capabilities to break down complex organic matter.
- Fungi can be leveraged through genetic modification and optimized bioprocessing for efficient waste valorization.
- Edible fungi and fermentation processes offer pathways to transform waste into safe and nutritious food.
Conclusions:
- Filamentous fungi present a promising biological solution for valorizing FALW.
- Integrating genetics, bioprocessing, and gastronomy can unlock the full potential of fungi for sustainable food production.
- Harnessing fungi offers a viable strategy to reduce environmental impact and create value from food waste.
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