Current situation and future perspectives for the use of fungi in the biomaterial industry and proposal for a new classification of fungal-derived materials

Abstract

The potential applications of fungi in the development of new biomaterials derived from fungal mycelium have captured the attention from both the scientific community and the society. The notable ability of mycelium networks to self-construct and aggregate can be used to produce diverse biomaterials. These biomaterials can be created in a pure state, or both in conjunction with other organic/inorganic compounds. Recent advancements in mycomaterials have gained attention due to their sustainability and mechanical, thermogravimetric, and compression properties. Such properties contribute to reducing the reliance on environmentally problematic substrates within the industry. After a standardized and comprehensive review of publications on mycomaterials across different fields, such as biology, health, agriculture, engineering, and material sciences, we detected that publications on this theme are utterly scattered. This critical review enabled us to also propose a novel classification system for these fungal-derived materials to help to structure and standardize this emerging transdisciplinary field of knowledge.

A Review Delving into the Factors Influencing Mycelium-Based Green Composites (MBCs) Production and Their Properties for Long-Term Sustainability Targets

“…Key components in MBCs production encompass factors are related to both the species of fungal mycelium (matrix phase) and the selection of substrate types (dispersed phase) [ 26 ]. Fungal mycelium, typically sourced from mushroom genera like Pleurotus spp., Ganoderma spp., Trametes spp., Pycnoporus spp., Lentinus spp., and Polyporus spp., functions as the primary structural component, providing cohesion and strength to the composite [ 9 , 23 , 27 , 28 ]. Simultaneously, the substrate, often composed of agro-industrial wastes such as sawdust, wood chips, husks, peels, straw, cotton, flax, hemp, spent mushrooms, sugarcane bagasse, or other lignocellulosic materials, significantly influences the MBCs properties [ 9 , 19 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ].…”

“…Fungal mycelium, typically sourced from mushroom genera like Pleurotus spp., Ganoderma spp., Trametes spp., Pycnoporus spp., Lentinus spp., and Polyporus spp., functions as the primary structural component, providing cohesion and strength to the composite [ 9 , 23 , 27 , 28 ]. Simultaneously, the substrate, often composed of agro-industrial wastes such as sawdust, wood chips, husks, peels, straw, cotton, flax, hemp, spent mushrooms, sugarcane bagasse, or other lignocellulosic materials, significantly influences the MBCs properties [ 9 , 19 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Moreover, other factors, including substrate preparation, optimal growth conditions, post-processing techniques, mold design, sterilization processes, guidelines for improving properties, and other related considerations, play crucial roles in determining the quality of MBCs [ 3 , 9 , 19 , 20 , 23 , 31 ].…”

Innovative chitin-glucan based material obtained from mycelium of wood decay fungal strains

“…Chitin sources like insects and fungi are getting more attention [ 12 , 13 ]. In recent years, fungi have been deeply investigated for industrial applications as bio-based materials [ [14] , [15] , [16] ]. The extraction of chitin from non-animal sources as fungi is possible [ [17] , [18] , [19] ] and it can be particularly attractive because it has no impact on animals [ 20 ].…”