2
the industrial level, some special types of fungi species are usually grown for the
production of many important enzymes, antibiotics, and vaccines (Mehdi et al.
2018). Moreover, considering the relationship of fungi with the field of food biotechnology, fungi have many pivotal contributions since ages. In the past decades,
the use of fungi has been greatly prompted to make different kinds of food products.
Fungi in food technology are used to make certain cultured food products which are
formed from fermentation process performed by fungi, for example, yeast, or a part
of fungus is consumed as a whole, for example, mushroom. Fungi are very particular in performing their metabolic processes. Due to these processes, the fungi are
able to synthesize a wide variety of food products, medicines, vaccines, etc. These
fungal products share great position in the biotechnology market. Apart from these
fungal products which are produced by general procedures, there are some fungal
byproducts too which are synthesized side by side. Advancements in technology
have led to more research on these fungal byproducts. As a result, these byproducts
when produced were extracted and further processed. They on further explorations
were either converted into functional foods or are used in other food products as an
active ingredient. With increasing awareness and health-related concerns, nowadays
people are more inclined toward ingenious health-stimulating products. This chapter talks about the role of fungi in food biotechnology. Moreover, it includes information on several fungal byproducts, how they are produced, what their benefits
are, and how these byproducts are further consumed in the field of food biotechnology. As the explorations on fungal products and byproducts are only partially conducted, the chapter also includes the future prospects of fungi in food
biotechnology.
1.2 Use of Fungi in Food Biotechnology
Since millennial years, humans have struggled a lot for survival. As a consequence
of this, they have discovered a variety of food products for their consumption. This
discovery also includes the utilization of enormous range of organisms into the food
products just to enhance the sensory or health beneficial properties of the products.
The use of fungi in the food biotechnology is noteworthy. They are consumed either
directly or are used as an additive just to carry out further food processing techniques for the production of specific food products. Fungi are considered to be very
nutritive since they are good producers of some proteins and high-value biochemicals (Ojediran et al. 2016). These eukaryotic organisms are consumed in the food
biotechnology in the form of fermentative yeasts, mushrooms, and filamentous
fungi. The very first case of using the wild fungi for human consumptions was
reported in China. Since then its use has been continued in different forms (Huang
et al. 2015). As fungi have been known to have rich nutrition profile, its cultivation
has been expanded in the past years just to meet the demands by the consumers.
Mushrooms (macrofungi) are generally raised at large-scale industrial levels.
Although many mushrooms species exist in nature, not all are edible. There are only
S. Singh and S. Gaur
the industrial level, some special types of fungi species are usually grown for the
production of many important enzymes, antibiotics, and vaccines (Mehdi et al.
2018). Moreover, considering the relationship of fungi with the field of food biotechnology, fungi have many pivotal contributions since ages. In the past decades,
the use of fungi has been greatly prompted to make different kinds of food products.
Fungi in food technology are used to make certain cultured food products which are
formed from fermentation process performed by fungi, for example, yeast, or a part
of fungus is consumed as a whole, for example, mushroom. Fungi are very particular in performing their metabolic processes. Due to these processes, the fungi are
able to synthesize a wide variety of food products, medicines, vaccines, etc. These
fungal products share great position in the biotechnology market. Apart from these
fungal products which are produced by general procedures, there are some fungal
byproducts too which are synthesized side by side. Advancements in technology
have led to more research on these fungal byproducts. As a result, these byproducts
when produced were extracted and further processed. They on further explorations
were either converted into functional foods or are used in other food products as an
active ingredient. With increasing awareness and health-related concerns, nowadays
people are more inclined toward ingenious health-stimulating products. This chapter talks about the role of fungi in food biotechnology. Moreover, it includes information on several fungal byproducts, how they are produced, what their benefits
are, and how these byproducts are further consumed in the field of food biotechnology. As the explorations on fungal products and byproducts are only partially conducted, the chapter also includes the future prospects of fungi in food
biotechnology.
1.2 Use of Fungi in Food Biotechnology
Since millennial years, humans have struggled a lot for survival. As a consequence
of this, they have discovered a variety of food products for their consumption. This
discovery also includes the utilization of enormous range of organisms into the food
products just to enhance the sensory or health beneficial properties of the products.
The use of fungi in the food biotechnology is noteworthy. They are consumed either
directly or are used as an additive just to carry out further food processing techniques for the production of specific food products. Fungi are considered to be very
nutritive since they are good producers of some proteins and high-value biochemicals (Ojediran et al. 2016). These eukaryotic organisms are consumed in the food
biotechnology in the form of fermentative yeasts, mushrooms, and filamentous
fungi. The very first case of using the wild fungi for human consumptions was
reported in China. Since then its use has been continued in different forms (Huang
et al. 2015). As fungi have been known to have rich nutrition profile, its cultivation
has been expanded in the past years just to meet the demands by the consumers.
Mushrooms (macrofungi) are generally raised at large-scale industrial levels.
Although many mushrooms species exist in nature, not all are edible. There are only
S. Singh and S. Gaur