A Preliminary Study of Food Waste as a Potential Sustainable Green Substrate for the Oyster Mushroom Cultivation

• Published in: Malaysian Journal of Chemistry
• Main Author: Jamion N.A.; Zakaria A.F.; Sambasevam K.P.; Atika Baharin S.N.; Umor N.A.; Mehmood S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Institute of Chemistry 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85205992917&doi=10.55373%2fmjchem.v26i5.137&partnerID=40&md5=026087f08ab6006c80e0da7944e3f2df

The global surge in solid waste, projected to escalate by a staggering 70% annually until 2050, presents a critical environmental and public health challenge. A substantial component of this waste stream comprises food waste originating from the food industry and households, contributing to landfills and associated problems. In response to this issue, this research advocates for the conversion of common food waste items, including coco peat (CP), tea waste (TW), chicken eggshells (ES), and banana skin (BS), into an environmentally sustainable resource for green mushroom cultivation. Traditionally, sawdust has been the primary substrate for mushroom cultivation. In this innovative approach, the food waste materials will partially replace sawdust in mushroom substrate formulation. The mycelium growth was assessed, focusing on mycelium running rate, the duration for complete colonization of the substrate block, the time required for primordia initiation to harvest, average primordia count, fruiting body number, fruiting body dimensions, biological yield, and economic yield. Results indicate significant differences in mycelium growth rates among formulations, with sawdust demonstrating the fastest growth compared to coco peat. However, the inclusion of coco peat in combination with other substrates enhances mycelium growth rates, suggesting the potential for optimizing substrate compositions. CHNS analysis reveals variations in nutrient content among substrates, with formulations featuring higher nitrogen content and C/N ratios correlating with increased mushroom yield where sample S3 with formulation ratio CP: TW: BS: ES (5:2:1:1) afforded the best yield. These findings indicate the importance of substrate composition in influencing mushroom growth and highlight the potential for sustainable waste management practices in mushroom cultivation. © 2024 Malaysian Institute of Chemistry. All rights reserved.