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Research Progress on Edible Fungi

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A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 17601

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Prof. Dr. Shujing Sun

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College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: Improvement and breeding of edible and medicinal fungi varieties; the mechanisms of interaction between the biological environment and edible fungi; the development and application of edible fungi
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Edible fungi is visible to the naked eye, and comprise fleshy fruit bodies with distinct aromas and flavors, as well as beneficial nutritional properties, and are used mostly in food and medicine. Edible fungi also contain abundant active substances, such as polysaccharides, phenols, and terpenoids, which have considerable pharmacological effects, making them valuable medicinal resources for humans.

The goal of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on edible fungi. We invite researchers and mycologists to submit their original research, reviews, and communications that contribute to the body of knowledge on edible fungi. This Special Issue, titled “Research Progress on Edible Fungi”, will concentrate on edible fungal genetic diversity, signal transduction regulation, genetic manipulation, fermentation process, omics research, physiology, etc.

Prof. Dr. Shujing Sun
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

genetic diversity
signal transduction regulation
genetic manipulation
breeding
physiology

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review, Other

19 pages, 3171 KB

Open AccessArticle

Schizophyllan Optimization and Production in Submerged Cultures of Different Schizophyllum commune Isolates Collected in Thailand

by Soravit Chaimongkol, Wittayothin Yingkulchao, Nattawut Rungjindamai, Nguyen Tai Toan, Borworn Werapan, Kwanruthai Malairuang, Phongsawat Khamsuntorn, Sayanh Somrithipol, Somjit Komwijit, Sujinda Sommai, Umpawa Pinruan and Wai Prathumpai

J. Fungi 2026, 12(5), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050321 - 28 Apr 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2094

Abstract

Twenty strains of Schizophyllum commune from the BIOTEC culture collection were selected for this study. S. commune is characterized by white to gray fan-shaped caps with lobed margins and distinctive split gills. Phylogenetic analysis of combined LSU rDNA and ITS rDNA sequences data using maximum parsimony placed the fungi in a strongly supported clade with S. commune. All strains were primarily screened for exopolysaccharide (EPS) and biomass production using potato dextrose broth (PDB) and peptone yeast glucose medium (PYGM) in 250 mL flasks shaken at 200 rpm for 7 days. The results revealed three strains with high EPS production, each exceeding 2.3 g/L, namely MMCR00487, MMCR00474 and MMCR00256. These strains were selected for media optimization using a Plackett–Burman design. Among them, MMCR00256 exhibited the highest EPS yield of 8.34 ± 1.47 g/L, followed by MMCR00487 and MMCR00474. Therefore, the strain MMCR00256 was further optimized by central composite design. The results revealed that the optimized medium for MMCR00256 increased the production of EPS to 10.39 ± 1.69 g/L, with a biomass yield of 26.28 ± 1.63 g/L (395 mg/g). The 5 L bioreactor optimization tested two inoculum types (mycelial and pellet) and two media (CCD and estimated) using strain MMCR00256. The mycelial inoculum grown in the estimated medium produced the highest EPS yield of 8.37 ± 0.26 g/L after 3 days, with 13.56 ± 2.94 g/L biomass. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that S. commune MMCR00256, when cultivated using the estimated medium and mycelial inoculum, can achieve enhanced exopolysaccharide production with improved efficiency, highlighting its significant potential for the development of efficient and scalable schizophyllan production processes at the industrial scale. Furthermore, this study provides essential insights into the cultivation and optimization of schizophyllan in S. commune. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Edible Fungi)

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19 pages, 32171 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Cultivation Substrate Differences on Quality Formation and Polysaccharide Composition Characteristics of Tremella fuciformis

by Jianqiu Chen, Yating Deng, Yujie Chen, Keming Zhu, Xun Yao, Shenqiao Yang, Liding Chen and Shujing Sun

J. Fungi 2026, 12(4), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12040261 - 3 Apr 2026

Viewed by 1333

Abstract

Cultivation substrate critically affects the quality of Tremella fuciformis. Five substrates, including cottonseed hulls (MZKs), Machilus pauhoi Kanehira sawdust (BNM), lotus seed hulls (LZKs), Corethrodendron scoparium sawdust (HB), and palm fiber (ZL), were evaluated for their effects on agronomic traits, nutritional composition, texture, and taste characteristics. Untargeted metabolomics was applied to elucidate substrate-associated metabolic variations, and polysaccharide monosaccharide composition was quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that the BNM group exhibited the highest fresh weight, whereas the LZK group presented the highest dry weight and crude polysaccharide content. The ZL group displayed the greatest ear piece thickness and fruiting body elevation. Higher protein contents were observed in the ZL and LZK groups, with no differences in crude fiber content. Texture analysis indicated that hardness was highest in the LZK group, whereas the MZK group showed better springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness. Regarding taste characteristics, the MZK group exhibited the strongest sweetness, the LZK group showed a markedly higher bitterness, and umami levels were comparable across all groups. Metabolomic analysis revealed that substrate-induced variations in amino acids, saccharides, and taste-related metabolites were significantly associated with nutritional quality and taste attributes of T. fuciformis. Polysaccharides of fruiting bodies cultivated on the five substrates consisted of six monosaccharides, with composition ratios similar to those of spore extracellular polysaccharides; among them, differences in glucuronic acid (GlcA) proportion represented a key indicator distinguishing fruiting body polysaccharides from spore polysaccharides. This study revealed the metabolic basis and polysaccharide composition underlying substrate-dependent quality of T. fuciformis, supporting substrate optimization for high-quality production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Edible Fungi)

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17 pages, 2760 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Microbial Community Structure and Cultivation Performance Assessment in Tremella fuciformis Liquid Inoculum

by Hui Lin, Qi Xiong, Wenxuan Huang, Xinghua Dai, Yingxi Yang, Wenlin Huang, Shufang Lai, Shujing Sun and Liaoyuan Zhang

J. Fungi 2025, 11(12), 825; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11120825 - 22 Nov 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1632

Abstract

Liquid inoculum is widely adopted in the mushroom industry, yet preparing Tremella fuciformis liquid inoculum remains challenging due to its complex microbial community and dimorphic growth. This study aimed to establish a reliable protocol for T. fuciformis liquid inoculum and assess its practical application. Initially, liquefied spawn was produced by liquefying solid spawn. The application of standard liquefied spawn increased fruiting body yield by 8.2% (502.4 g/kg dry substrate) compared to solid spawn, but exhibited substantial batch-to-batch variation due to unstable microbial communities and low Tremellomycetes abundance. To address these limitations, liquid spawn was developed via pre-culture of pure T. fuciformis and Annulohypoxylon stygium mycelia. Cultivation tests demonstrated significantly enhanced performance with 608.2 g of fruiting bodies, which represented 11.1% improvement compared to solid spawn. Moreover, consistent yields could be observed across multiple batches. This stability was attributed to stable microbial community structure and the dominance of Tremellomycetes (abundance > 50%) in the fungal community. These results confirm the cultivation performance of T. fuciformis liquid spawn, highlighting its potential as an effective alternative to solid spawn for T. fuciformis industrial production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Edible Fungi)

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19 pages, 1936 KB

Open AccessArticle

Domestication Cultivation and Nutritional Analysis of Hericium coralloides

by Yun Li, Jiarong Cai, Xiaomin Li, Xin Hu, Junli Zhang, Xiaoping Wu and Junsheng Fu

J. Fungi 2025, 11(11), 785; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11110785 - 31 Oct 2025

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2001

Abstract

Hericium coralloides is a valuable medicinal and edible mushroom renowned for its unique bioactive compounds. This study focuses on the isolation of a wild strain (SH001) exhibiting promising cultivation potential and health promoting properties. A wild fungal strain from the Tibetan Plateau was isolated and identified as a novel H. coralloides based on its morphological and molecular characteristics. The optimal growth conditions were found to be 30 °C, pH 7.0, fructose as the preferred carbon source, and yeast extract as the optimal nitrogen source. Nutritional analysis revealed that the fruiting bodies were rich in protein (15.4 g/100 g dry weight), dietary fiber (34.7 g/100 g dry weight), and minerals, while being low in fat (3.5 g/100 g dry weight). The most abundant amino acids were glutamic acid, followed by aspartic acid. The polysaccharides exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with ABTS⁺ scavenging comparable to that of Vitamin C (Vc), achieving a clearance rate of 96.95% at concentrations between 0.25–5.00 mg/mL. At a concentration of 5 mg/mL, the DPPH and OH radical scavenging activities reached their peak (83.77% and 67.31%, respectively), along with the highest iron ion reducing capacity (FRAP value: 4.43 mmol/L. Polysaccharides also exhibited notable anticancer activity, inhibiting HepG2 liver cancer cells and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells, with IC₅₀ values of 3.896 mg/mL and 2.561 mg/mL, respectively. This study demonstrates that wild H. coralloides can be successfully cultivated in vitro. In conclusion, the fruiting bodies possess substantial nutritional value, and the polysaccharides extracted from them show promising antioxidant and anticancer activities, particularly against HepG2 liver cancer cells and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Edible Fungi)

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19 pages, 7622 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Gene Regulatory Network and Transcription Factors in Different Tissues of the Stropharia rugosoannulata Fruiting Body

by Jia Lu, Jing Yan, Na Lu, Jiling Song, Jiayao Lin, Xiaohua Zhou, Xuebing Ying, Zhen Li, Zufa Zhou and Fangjie Yao

J. Fungi 2025, 11(2), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11020123 - 7 Feb 2025

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2033

Abstract

Stropharia rugosoannulata is a mushroom that is rich in nutrients and has a pleasant flavor. Its cultivation area is expanding rapidly due to its simplicity and diversity. However, the developmental mechanism of the fruiting body, which constitutes the edible portion of S. rugosoannulata, remains to be elucidated. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a comprehensive study. Our approach entailed the observation of sections through the fruiting body of S. rugosoannulata and the sequencing of the transcriptomes of various fruiting body tissues. The results demonstrated significant variations in the structure of the pileipellis, pileus, gill, veil, stipe, and trama of S. rugosoannulata. The predominant metabolic pathways included the amino acid metabolism of the pileus, sugar metabolism of the stipe, tryptophan metabolism, and wax production of the pileipellis, the DNA pathway of the gill, amino sugar metabolism of the veil, and the nitrogen metabolism of the trama. The promoter cis-element analysis revealed the roles of light response, methyl jasmonate, oxygen, and temperature on the differentiation of the veil, trama, and pileipellis, respectively. In summary, the present findings offer a molecular mechanism for the development of the fruiting body and provide directions for the enhancement of cultivation techniques of S. rugosoannulata. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Edible Fungi)

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Review

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23 pages, 2591 KB

Open AccessReview

Edible Fungi Melanin: Recent Advances in Extraction, Characterization, Biological Activity and Applications

by Jiandong Tang, Hebin Shen, Wenyu Lv, Jingxuan Zhang and Junsheng Fu

J. Fungi 2025, 11(10), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11100738 - 14 Oct 2025

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4464

Abstract

Natural melanin biopolymers exhibit a variety of biological activities, but their commercial development is constrained by numerous factors, including high costs, unsustainable sources, the use of harmful solvents during extraction, and low extraction efficiency. Notably, existing research indicates that synthetic melanin differs from natural melanin in nature, and this difference may directly impact its application efficacy. Additionally, the extraction process itself is highly challenging, primarily due to the diversity and complexity of melanin biopolymer structures. The melanin produced by edible fungi primarily belongs to the eumelanin category. Given its outstanding sustainability and accessibility, it is regarded as an ideal raw material for industrial production. To deepen our understanding of edible fungus-derived melanin and promote its effective application across various fields, a comprehensive review of research on melanin isolated from edible fungi is urgently needed. Such a review will help researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds recognize the importance of edible fungus melanin and provide reference information for their research planning. With this objective in mind, this report reviews the latest research progress in recent years regarding extraction methods, structural characterization, biological activity, and application areas of edible fungus-derived melanin. Additionally, the report explores key characteristic parameters for distinguishing different types of melanin and emphasizes the importance of deepening our understanding of the biosynthetic mechanisms of edible mushroom melanin, aiming to lay the foundation for its efficient production and application in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Edible Fungi)

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Other

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40 pages, 2989 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Genus Leccinum: Global Advances in Taxonomy, Ecology, Nutritional Value, and Environmental Significance

by Ruben Budau, Simona Ioana Vicas, Mariana Florica Bei, Danut Aurel Dejeu, Lucian Dinca and Danut Chira

J. Fungi 2026, 12(1), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12010070 - 16 Jan 2026

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2036

Abstract

Leccinum is an ecologically significant and taxonomically complex genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi widely distributed across boreal, temperate, Mediterranean, and selected tropical regions. Despite its ecological, nutritional, and applied importance, no comprehensive review has previously synthesized global knowledge on this genus. This work provides the first integrative assessment of Leccinum research, combining a bibliometric analysis of 293 peer-reviewed publications with an in-depth qualitative synthesis of ecological, biochemical, and environmental findings. Bibliometric results show increasing scientific attention since the mid-20th century, with major contributions from Europe, Asia, and North America, and dominant research themes spanning taxonomy, ecology, chemistry, and environmental sciences. The literature review highlights substantial advances in phylogenetic understanding, species diversity, and host specificity. Leccinum forms ectomycorrhizal associations with over 60 woody host genera, underscoring its functional importance in forest ecosystems. Nutritionally, Leccinum species are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, bioactive polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, and umami-related peptides, with demonstrated antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and antitumor activities. At the same time, the genus exhibits notable bioaccumulation capacity for heavy metals (particularly Hg, Cd, and Pb) and radionuclides, making it both a valuable food source and a sensitive environmental bioindicator. Applications in biotechnology, environmental remediation, forest restoration, and functional food development are emerging but remain insufficiently explored. Identified research gaps include the need for global-scale phylogenomic frameworks, expanded geographic sampling, standardized biochemical analyses, and deeper investigation into physiological mechanisms and applied uses. This review provides the first holistic synthesis of Leccinum, offering an integrated perspective on its taxonomy, ecology, nutritional composition, environmental significance, and practical applications. The findings serve as a foundation for future mycological, ecological, and biotechnological research on this diverse and understudied fungal genus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Edible Fungi)

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