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In recent years, a number of studies have been done on the physiological effects of water-soluble polysaccharides (WSPS) and their antitumor and immuno-enhancing properties. Many edible mushrooms, in particular those rich in WSPS, not only taste good but also contain ingredients beneficial to the physiology of the human body. In this study, response surface methodology was used to determine the optimal conditions for the production of WSPS, including the C/N ratio, initial pH, and incubation temperature. The highest yield of WSPS was obtained by incubation with a C/N ratio of 40, initial pH 5.5, and an incubation temperature of 25 degrees C. WSPS were extracted by alcohol precipitation from the fermented broth of edible Pleurotus citrinopileatus. These extracts, referred to as SPPC in this paper, had a molecular mass of more than 10(5) Da and were largely made up of glucose and mannose. SPPC was fed to mice which had artificial pulmonary metastatic tumors. Changes in the percentage of the numbers of tumor cells and immune cells were determined by flow cytometry. Daily feeding of SPPC at a dosage of 50 mg/kg to tumor-bearing mice for 12 days resulted in a significant increase in the number of T cells, CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and macrophages, compared with mice that were not fed any SPPC. The proliferation rate of the pulmonary sarcoma lesions slowed down.

Auricularia polytricha was cultivated on a sawdust basal substrate supplemented with different proportions (30%, 45%, and 60%, respectively) of stalks of three grass plants, i.e., Panicum repens (PRS), Pennisetum purpureum (PPS), and Zea mays (ZMS), to determine the most effective substrate. The mycelial growth rate, total colonization time, days to primordial formation, biological efficiency and chemical composition of fruiting bodies were evaluated. The results indicated that 30PPS was the best substrate for mycelial growth of A. polytricha , with a corresponding total colonization period of 32.0 days. With the exception of 30PPS, the total biological efficiency of all of the substrates containing P. repens stalk, P. purpureum stalk and Z. mays stalk was higher ( P < 0.05) than that of the control. The most suitable substrate with a high biological efficiency was 60PRS (148.12%), followed by 30ZMS (145.05%), 45ZMS (144.15%) and 30PRS (136.68%). The nutrient values of fruiting bodies were affected by different substrates. The ash contents of A. polytricha cultivated on a substrate containing Z. mays stalk were higher than that of the control; meanwhile, the protein contents of mushroom cultivated on a substrate containing P. repens stalk (except substrate 45PRS) were higher than that of the control. The biological efficiency of the substrates was tested, and according to the results, it is feasible to use the stalks of P. repens and Z. mays on partially replaced sawdust to cultivate A. polytricha .

No abstract

Oyster shell waste has led to many problems, including displeasing odors, pollution of the seaside, and harm to the environment. Using calcined oyster shells as a natural preservative might solve the problem of oyster shell waste. We studied the use of calcined oyster shell powder (COSP) as a natural preservative for improving shrimp shelf-life over 12 days under refrigerated conditions. As compared with the control, COSP treatment effectively retarded pH change, reduced the formation of total volatile basic nitrogen, and inhibited bacterial growth during refrigerated storage. In addition, shrimp muscle lipid oxidation measured by peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) was decreased during storage. The quality was preserved up to 12 days with 2.0–4.0% COSP treatment as compared with only 6 days for un-treated shrimp. The development of preservatives for aquatic products is expected to delay growth of and spoilage by microorganisms in the refrigerated state, thus providing more barrier protection for aquatic food safety.