11
because of a common compound – lactone – present in it. Usually Trichoderma and
Candida fungi are used for the production of lactones (Siddiquee 2014). Pyrazines
are also produced as byproducts of fungal fermentation. They impart roasty flavor
to the food. They have an important role in the food industry as they are added additionally to the microwaved or canned food items to impart the additional flavor of
roasting (Hu et al. 2019).
Besides imparting flavor to the foodstuffs, fungi are also known to produce various dyes as their byproducts. The colored pigments which are naturally produced as
byproducts are melanins, flavins, carotenoids, quinones, etc. Carotenoids are largely
produced by the zygomycetes (Dulf et al. 2020). Other pigments such as flavins,
melanins, quinones, and anthraquinones are specifically extracted from the fungi
Fusarium and Drechslera (Kumar et al. 2019). Since synthetic dyes/pigments used
in many foodstuffs have many reported side effects, choosing the natural source for
the extraction of these pigments was the safest alternative. These pigments are
known to tolerate a wide range of pH and temperature. As a result of this, their
applicability in food items plays a major role (Rao et al. 2017). The pigments mentioned above are used as food colorants on a large scale in the food industry. They
are of great importance because of their unlimited and cheap production and easy
extraction and they also have no harmful side effects and no seasonal variations
(Aberoumand 2011). Riboflavin (vitamin B12) is also produced from fungi
Eremothecium ashbyii (Subramaniam et al. 2020) which could be added to the food
materials for enhancement of vitamin profile and also as a sunscreen to protect
foodstuffs from damage caused by UV rays of the sun. Another recent study states
that red-colored natural pigment lycopene could be extracted from fungus Blakeslea
trispora. It has been also stated that Monascus could be used to extract several other
food colorants and flavoring agents which can be used during the manufacturing of
numerous flavored dairy products (Dufossé 2018).
Moreover, many enzymes are also produced from fungal sources as byproducts.
To illustrate, fungal α-amylases are produced and extracted from many fungal species, majorly Aspergillus oryzae. Trichoderma are also able to synthesize many
extracellular amylases. As a result, the cheap substrates like starch potato in soluble
form were used to grow fungi, and then using extraction procedures, the enzymes
were separated (Abdulaal 2018). Another study illustrates the production of fermentative liquor named as Chinese nong flavor liquor and the extraction of fungal
α-amylases from the beverage. The presence of this enzyme was validated by checking the expression of amylase gene during starch-degrading process. It was concluded that amylase gene showed maximum expression while it was treated with
starch-based compounds, amylopectin, glycogen, etc. (Yi et al. 2018). The fungal
amylases have many applications in the food industry, for example, it can be used
during the process of bread making. Amylases are known to hydrolyze starch into
sugars, making it easier for the yeast cells to obtain their nutrition and grow. This
also improves the final bread quality as its addition imparts some additional flavors
to the dough too (Matsushita et al. 2020). Cellulases and proteases have been also
found as byproducts of fungal enzymes. Mucor species like Mucor pusillus and
Mucor miehei are the chief producers of proteases (Kour et al. 2019). The secreted
1 Fungal Byproducts in Food Technology
because of a common compound – lactone – present in it. Usually Trichoderma and
Candida fungi are used for the production of lactones (Siddiquee 2014). Pyrazines
are also produced as byproducts of fungal fermentation. They impart roasty flavor
to the food. They have an important role in the food industry as they are added additionally to the microwaved or canned food items to impart the additional flavor of
roasting (Hu et al. 2019).
Besides imparting flavor to the foodstuffs, fungi are also known to produce various dyes as their byproducts. The colored pigments which are naturally produced as
byproducts are melanins, flavins, carotenoids, quinones, etc. Carotenoids are largely
produced by the zygomycetes (Dulf et al. 2020). Other pigments such as flavins,
melanins, quinones, and anthraquinones are specifically extracted from the fungi
Fusarium and Drechslera (Kumar et al. 2019). Since synthetic dyes/pigments used
in many foodstuffs have many reported side effects, choosing the natural source for
the extraction of these pigments was the safest alternative. These pigments are
known to tolerate a wide range of pH and temperature. As a result of this, their
applicability in food items plays a major role (Rao et al. 2017). The pigments mentioned above are used as food colorants on a large scale in the food industry. They
are of great importance because of their unlimited and cheap production and easy
extraction and they also have no harmful side effects and no seasonal variations
(Aberoumand 2011). Riboflavin (vitamin B12) is also produced from fungi
Eremothecium ashbyii (Subramaniam et al. 2020) which could be added to the food
materials for enhancement of vitamin profile and also as a sunscreen to protect
foodstuffs from damage caused by UV rays of the sun. Another recent study states
that red-colored natural pigment lycopene could be extracted from fungus Blakeslea
trispora. It has been also stated that Monascus could be used to extract several other
food colorants and flavoring agents which can be used during the manufacturing of
numerous flavored dairy products (Dufossé 2018).
Moreover, many enzymes are also produced from fungal sources as byproducts.
To illustrate, fungal α-amylases are produced and extracted from many fungal species, majorly Aspergillus oryzae. Trichoderma are also able to synthesize many
extracellular amylases. As a result, the cheap substrates like starch potato in soluble
form were used to grow fungi, and then using extraction procedures, the enzymes
were separated (Abdulaal 2018). Another study illustrates the production of fermentative liquor named as Chinese nong flavor liquor and the extraction of fungal
α-amylases from the beverage. The presence of this enzyme was validated by checking the expression of amylase gene during starch-degrading process. It was concluded that amylase gene showed maximum expression while it was treated with
starch-based compounds, amylopectin, glycogen, etc. (Yi et al. 2018). The fungal
amylases have many applications in the food industry, for example, it can be used
during the process of bread making. Amylases are known to hydrolyze starch into
sugars, making it easier for the yeast cells to obtain their nutrition and grow. This
also improves the final bread quality as its addition imparts some additional flavors
to the dough too (Matsushita et al. 2020). Cellulases and proteases have been also
found as byproducts of fungal enzymes. Mucor species like Mucor pusillus and
Mucor miehei are the chief producers of proteases (Kour et al. 2019). The secreted
1 Fungal Byproducts in Food Technology