A Review on the Potential Reuse of Functional Polysaccharides Extracted from the By-Products of Mushroom Processing

Mushrooms contain many types of nutrients; they are widely regarded as healthy food product. The development of the global mushroom industry has resulted the production of by-products such as stipes, discarded space bags, and broken fruiting bodies. Mushroom by-products account for approximately 20% of mushroom weight and have a high recycling value. Mushroom by-products are most commonly used as compost and animal feed. They contain large amounts of polysaccharides, triterpenes, ergosterol, glycoproteins, dietary fiber, and other components from which functional components could be extracted. Among those components, polysaccharides have been widely studied. This review paper evaluated current research findings, which revealed that new extraction techniques such as microwave, ultrasound, pulsed electrical fields, and high pressure could be used to increase the efficiency of polysaccharide recovery from mushroom by-products. We also separately discussed the functionality of various types of polysaccharides extracted from different mushroom by-products with regard to immune regulation, alleviation of cardiovascular disease, protection of intestinal health, as well as anticancer, antibacterial, and other health promoting effects. This review highlights that mushroom waste contains many types of functional polysaccharide components that have potential applications in foodstuffs and medicine. The use of new extraction techniques can improve the utilization of whole mushrooms. Effective recovery of polysaccharide components from mushroom by-products can increase the overall value of mushroom cultivation and decrease the production of agricultural waste.