Waste to Worth: Active antimicrobial and health-beneficial food coating from byproducts of mushroom industry

摘要: Background In this proposal we suggest developing a common solution for three seemingly unrelated acute problems: (1) improving sustainability of fast-growing mushroom industry producing worldwide millions of tons of underutilized leftovers; (2) alleviating the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency adversely affecting the public health in both countries and in other regions; (3) reducing spoilage of perishable fruit and vegetable products leading to food wastage. Based on our previous experience we propose utilizing appropriately processed mushroom byproducts as a source of two valuable bioactive materials: antimicrobial and wholesome polysaccharide chitosan and health-strengthening nutrient ergocalciferol⁽ᵛⁱᵗᵃᵐⁱⁿ ᴰ2⁾. ᴬᵈᵈⁱᵗⁱᵒⁿᵃˡ ᵇᵉⁿᵉᶠⁱᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉˢᵉ ᵐᵃᵗᵉʳⁱᵃˡˢ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉⁱʳ ᵒʳⁱᵍⁱⁿ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ⁿᵒⁿ⁻ᵃⁿⁱᵐᵃˡ ᶠᵒᵒᵈ⁻ᵍʳᵃᵈᵉ source. We proposed using chitosan and vitamin D as ingredients in active edible coatings on two model foods: highly perishable fresh-cut melon and less perishable health bars. Objectives and work program. The general aim of the project is improving storability, safety and health value of foods by developing and applying a novel active edible coating based on utilization of mushroom industry leftovers. The work plan includes the following tasks: (a) optimizing the UV-B treatment of mushroom leftover stalks to enrich them with vitamin D without compromising chitosan quality - Done; (b) developing effective extraction procedures to yield chitosan and vitamin D from the stalks - Done; (c) utilizing LbL approach to prepare fungal chitosan-based edible coatings with optimal properties - Done; (d) enrichment …