Role of medicinal mushroom on growth performance and physiological responses in broiler chicken

Food and human health applications of edible mushroom by-products

Mushroom waste can account for up to 50% of the total mushroom mass. Spent mushroom substrate, misshapen mushrooms, and mushroom stems are examples of mushroom byproducts. In ancient cultures, fungi were prized for their medicinal properties. Aqueous extracts containing high levels of β-glucans as functional components capable of providing prebiotic polysaccharides and improved texture to foods have been widely used and new methods have been tested to improve extraction yields. Similarly, the addition of insoluble polysaccharides controls the glycemic index, counteracting the effects of increasingly high-calorie diets. Numerous studies support these benefits in vitro, but evidence in vivo is scarce. Nonetheless, many authors have created a variety of functional foods, ranging from yogurt to noodles. In this review, we focus on the pharmacological properties of edible mushroom by-products, and the possible risks derived from its consumption. By incorporating these by-products into human or animal feed formulations, mushroom producers will be able to fully optimize crop use and pave the way for the industry to move toward a zero-waste paradigm.

Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharides alleviate aflatoxin B1-induced liver inflammation in ducks involving in remodeling gut microbiota and regulating SCFAs transport via the gut-liver axis

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most widespread contaminants in agricultural commodities. Pleurotus eryngii (PE) is widely used as a feed additive for its anti-inflammatory properties, and its major active substance is believed to be polysaccharides. This study aims to explore the underlying mechanism of dietary PE polysaccharides alleviating AFB1-induced toxicity in ducks. The major monosaccharide components of PE polysaccharides were identified as glucose, mannose, galactose, glucuronic acid, and fucose. The results showed that dietary PE polysaccharides could alleviate liver inflammation, alleviate intestinal barrier dysfunction, and change the imbalanced gut microbiota induced by AFB1 in ducks. However, PE polysaccharides failed to exert protective roles on the liver and intestine injury induced by AFB1 in antibiotic-treated ducks. The PE + AFB1-originated microbiota showed a positive effect on intestinal barrier and inflammation, the SCFAs transport via the gut-liver axis, and liver inflammation compared with the AFB1-originated microbiota in ducks. These findings provided a possible mechanism that PE polysaccharides alleviated AFB1-induced liver inflammation in ducks by remodeling gut microbiota, regulating microbiota-derived SCFAs transport via the gut-liver axis, and inhibiting inflammatory gene expressions in the liver, which may provide new insight for therapeutic methods against AFB1 exposure in animals.

Dietary Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) Waste Inhibits Experimentally Induced Eimeria tenella Challenge in Japanese Quails Model

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of dietary 3% oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) waste in enhancing the anticoccidial effects in broilers challenged with Eimeria tenella infection. The experiment involved a total of 600 Japanese quails, raised from one to thirty-five days of age, which were divided into four treatment groups. These included a negative control group that received a basal diet (BD) without any anticoccidial or antibiotic supplementation in the non-challenged birds (negative control, NC); a positive control (PC) group consisting of NC birds challenged with E. tenella; a group that received the BD with an anticoccidial drug (standard); and a group that received the BD supplemented with 3% waste from oyster mushrooms (3% Pleurotus ostreatus). The results showed that the feed intake, body weight gain, and feed efficiency were significantly lower in the PC (p < 0.05). However, the growth traits were similar in the standard and 3% Pleurotus ostreatus-treated groups. Similarly, there was no difference (p < 0.05) in the mortality rate, oocyst count in the feces, and lesion score between the standard and 3% Pleurotus ostreatus groups. Based on intestinal histology evaluation, the villi height and width were significantly higher in the standard and 3% Pleurotus ostreatus-treated groups compared to those of the PC (p < 0.01). In conclusion, it was found that 3% Pleurotus ostreatus effectively mitigated the low growth rate of Japanese quails induced by coccidial infection.

Bioactive components of mushrooms: Processing effects and health benefits

Mushrooms have been recognized for their culinary attributes for long and were relished in the most influential civilizations in history. Currently, they are the focus of renewed research because of their therapeutic abilities. Nutritional benefits from mushrooms are in the form of a significant source of essential proteins, dietary non-digestible carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, minerals, as well as various vitamins, which have enhanced its consumption, and also resulted in the development of various processed mushroom products. Mushrooms are also a crucial ingredient in traditional medicine for their healing potential and curative properties. The literature on the nutritional, nutraceutical, and therapeutic potential of mushrooms, and their use as functional foods for the maintenance of health was reviewed, and the available literature indicates the enormous potential of the bioactive compounds present in mushrooms. Future research should be focused on the development of processes to retain the mushroom bioactive components, and valorization of waste generated during processing. Further, the mechanisms of action of mushroom bioactive components should be studied in detail to delineate their diverse roles and functions in the prevention and treatment of several diseases.