Microbial contamination of the classroom environment is a worry since it can create a variety of health problems and negatively impact kids' and teachers’ general well-being. To increase awareness of personal hygiene during a pandemic and post-pandemic, students can reveal to themselves the true state of their body parts, clothing and surrounding conditions that are exposed to the breeding of germs. Thus, an environmental microbiology classroom has been conducted with Biotechnology Club high school students for a screening of microbial growth and contaminations on students’ body parts, attire, and school’s selected area. Swabbing method of students’ hands, collar of the shirt (boys) and scarf (girls) and doorknob (classes, laboratory, toilet & management office) was carried out and subsequently swabbing onto the nutrient agar (NA) plate for microorganisms’ growth. After 24 hours incubation, the colonies of the growing microorganisms were observed, and their number of different colonies were counted. Through this experiment, it is suggested that the students can observe themselves how dirty their hands, clothes and even selected areas like doorknob can cause the spread of the microbial infections if not cleaned regularly. Several hygienic practices, mitigation activities and awareness were suggested to the students in preventing the spread of microbial infection by handing out pocket posters for students to read and paste in rooms or classes.

A rare wild-Serbian Ganoderma applanatum strain BGS6Ap (GASB) was morphologically identified based on its basidiocarp with brownish-red cap and woody stipe. Molecularly, GASB DNA was extracted, sequenced (651 bp) and subjected to phylogenetic analysis with evolutionary distance (Knuc). A plasmid Editor (ApE) software was used to verify the sequence and GASB was found to be 99% similarity to the commercial G. applanatum (GA) ATCC44053. The production of GASB's biomass and endopolysaccharide (ENS) in different temperature was screened at 20 °C, 25 °C and 30 °C via one-factor-at-a-time (OFAAT) scheme in a submerged liquid fermentation (SLF). Lower temperature was chosen due to GASB's natural habitat, which belongs to temperate continental climates with the influence of air currents from the Carpathians and the Mediterranean. Using the OFAAT data, the SLF was further optimised using response surface methodology (RSM) to generate biomass-ENS based on temperature (20°C–30 °C), agitation rate (100–200 rpm), glucose concentration (10 g/L–50 g/L) and initial pH (4–6). The highest production of biomass (17.51 g/L) and ENS (3.47 g/L) was generated using optimal conditions of 25 °C, 150 rpm, 10 g/L of glucose and pH 6. To study the structural composition, ENS confirmed spectral linkages in FTIR (2925 cm−1, 1623 cm−1, 1073 cm−1, 890 cm−1) and NMR (δ 4.30, 4.80, 5.20 ppm) as endo-β-D-glucan. This approach could serve as a blueprint for novel mycelial biomass and endo-β-D-glucan production of GASB which can be further studied on different temperate basidiomycetes.

The depletion of fossil fuels and the emission of greenhouse gases have increased the demand for new and sustainable energy sources, leading to growing interest in using fast-growing filamentous fungi as a source of bioenergy. This study aimed to optimize the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and mycelial biomass (MB) from the native medicinal mushroom, Lignosus rhinocerus, through submerged liquid fermentation. Using response surface methodology (RSM), it was found that the glucose concentration and speed of agitation significantly influenced the production of MB and EPS (p < 0.05), while the initial pH medium had an insignificant effect. The validated optimized parameters of 50.0 g/L glucose, initial pH 4.0, and 128 rpm for speed of agitation were tested in 500 mL shake flasks, 5 L, and 13 L stirred-tank (STR) bioreactors. The production of MB and EPS increased significantly by ~1.2-fold in the 5 L STR and further increased to ~1.7-fold (MB) and ~2.4-fold (EPS) in the 13 L STR bioreactor compared to the shake flask. The lipid content of MB was also determined, with a result of 2.07% w/w using the Soxhlet extraction method. To conclude, this study emphasizes the ability of L. rhinocerus as a new source of bioenergy through large-scale production, with optimized parameters serving as a reference for future research and practical applications.

Termitomyces sp. mushroom is an edible mushroom that belongs to the family of Lyophyllaceae and exhibited growth associated with termites in a symbiotic environment. In this study, Termitomyces sp. mushroom was isolated from several places located in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia namely TM 1 (Senaling, Kuala Pilah, TM 2 (Batu Kikir, Kuala Pilah) and TM 3 (Rembau Negeri Sembilan). The collection process was conducted during the early rainy seasons within October to November in which these mushrooms were actively growing. The collected mushrooms fruiting bodies from the wild were further used in tissue culture for the growth of mycelium on the agar medium. Out of the three samples only TM 1 mycelium were successfully grown on the agar medium and subsequent optimization were carried out to enhance the growth of the TM 1 mycelium. The composition of the agar medium was manipulated, and it was observed that the combination of PDA (potato dextrose agar) + ME (malt extract) + YE (yeast extract) showed a thick full plate growth of mycelium in 14 days of cultivation. The mushroom mycelium of TM 1 was able to grow and produce polysaccharide in batch submerged liquid fermentation with a biomass of 8.55 g/L, intracellular polysaccharide (IPS CWE and IPS HWE) of 1.36 and 3.20 g/L respectively and extracellular polysaccharide of 1.44 g/L.

During the monsoon season, a wild-termite mushroom Termitomyces heimii RFES 230662 (THR2) was successfully isolated from Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The mushroom was morphologically labelled based on its stipe, pileus, and the budding mycelia from the termites nest. Genetic component of THR2 (300 bp) was sequenced and found to be 99% identical to Termitomyces sp. strain. The evolutionary distance (Knuc) of the isolate justified THR2 as T. heimii species. Two THR2 extracts were prepared from fruiting body (FB) and mycelial biomass (MB) for antimicrobial responses. THR2 was cultivated in a submerged-fermentation (SF) producing 8.55 g/L of MB, 0.80 g/L of endopolysaccharide (ENS) and 1.44 g/L of exopolysaccharide (EPS), respectively. For THR2-FB, two ENS extracts were obtained using hot (3.20 g/L) and cold-water (1.36 g/L) treatments. FTIR spectra analysis verified all polysaccharide as β-glucan when compared to laminarin standard. Those β-glucan possess antibacterial properties with highest response shown by ß-glucan-FB compared to ß-glucan-MB extracts. These findings serve as the blueprint for the production of β-glucan from a rare termite mushroom.

This review delves into the world of mushroom oils, highlighting their production, composition, and versatile applications. Despite mushrooms' overall low lipid content, their fatty acid composition, rich in essential fatty acids like linoleic acid and oleic acid, proves nutritionally significant. Variations in fatty acid profiles across mushroom species and the prevalence of unsaturated fats contribute to their cardiovascular health benefits. The exploration extends to mushroom essential oils, revealing diverse volatile compounds through extraction methods like hydrodistillation and solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE). The identification of 1-octen-3-ol as a key contributor to the distinct “mushroom flavor” adds a nuanced perspective. The focus broadens to applications, encompassing culinary and industrial uses with techniques like cold pressing and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Mushroom oils, with their unique nutritional and flavor profiles, enhance gastronomic experiences. Non-food applications in cosmetics and biofuels underscore the oils' versatility. The nutritional composition, enriched with essential fatty acids, bioactive compositions, and trace elements, is explored for potential health benefits. Bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds and terpenes contribute to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, positioning mushroom oils as nutritional powerhouses. In short, this concise review synthesizes the intricate world of mushroom oils, emphasizing their nutritional significance, extraction methodologies, and potential health benefits. The comprehensive overview underscores mushroom oils as a promising area for further exploration and utilization. The characteristics of mushroom biomass oil for the use in various industries are influenced by the mushroom species, chemical composition, biochemical synthesis of mushroom, and downstream processes including extraction, purification and characterization. Therefore, further research and exploration need to be done to achieve a circular bioeconomy with the integration of SDGs, waste reduction, and economic stimulation, to fully utilize the benefits of mushroom, a valuable gift of nature.

Conventional stirred-tank bioreactor (STR) designs are optimised for cultures of bacteria but not fungal cultures; therefore, a new Air-L-Shaped Bioreactor (ALSB) was fabricated. The ALSB was designed to eliminate the wall growth and clumping of fungal mycelium in STRs. Ganoderma lucidum was used as a fungal model and its biomass and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production were maximised by optimising the agitation rate, glucose concentration, initial pH, and aeration via response surface methodology (RSM). The ALSB system generated 7.8 g/L of biomass (biomass optimised conditions: 110 rpm, 24 g/L glucose, pH 5.6, and 3 v/v of aeration) and 4.4 g/L of EPS (EPS optimised conditions: 90 rpm, 30 g/L glucose, pH 4, and 2.5 v/v of aeration). In combination, for both optimised conditions, biomass (7.9 g/L) and EPS (4.6 g/L) were produced at 110 rpm, 30 g/L glucose, pH 4, and 3 v/v of aeration with minimal wall growth. The data prove that the ALSB is a blueprint for efficient economical fungal cultivation.