1.4.2. Economic importance of fungi

1.4.2. Economic importance of fungi

Fungi are both useful as well as harmful to humankind in several ways, some of which are summarized below: c. Synthesis of proteins and fats: Proteins are synthesized from yeasts, where as fats from Penicillium and Aspergillus sp.

1. Useful activities of fungi

1.1. Food Industry

i. Mushrooms are a type of fungi. Many of its varieties are edible. They have high nutritive value as they are rich in proteins and vitamins. They are cultivated on a commercial scale. Agaricus bisporous (white button mushroom) is the most common of the edible mushrooms

ii. Lecanora esculata is a lichen and is regarded as bread of heavens by Jews.

iii. Reindeer moss – a lichen in tundra constitutes the staple food of reindeer, musk, ox etc.

iv. Food yeast contains vitamins of the B-group, E-group and 15% proteins. Used as single cell protein (SCP).

v. Industrial applications: several industries particularly breweries and confectionaries depend upon various species of fungi such as:

a. In breweries: During anaerobic respiration (fermentation) of glucose, yeasts yield ethyl alcohol and CO2. Alcohol is the main constituent of wine, whiskey, beer etc. CO2 obtained as a by-product could be solidified and sold as dry-ice.

b. In bakeries: Sponginess in bread and other items of bakery is brought out by the air spaces. Air spaces formed when CO2 rises through the dough due to fermentation by yeasts. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is referred to as baker’s yeast.

c. Cheese processing: several species of Penicillium and Aspergillus are used to provide different flavours and ripening of cheese.

d. Chemical industry: Many acids like citric acid, gallic acid, gluconic acid are manufactured using many species of Aspergillus.

e. Others: Delicate perfumes are obtained from lichens such as Labularia pulmonaria and Everinia prunastri. Orecin – a biological stain is obtained from a lichen Roulla tinctoria.

vi. Role in agriculture: Saprophytic fungi help in the decay of dead animals and plants. They convert complex organic compounds into simple organic compounds such as nitrates, nitrites, sulphates, phosphates etc., which increase the fertility of soil and help in increasing the yield of crops.

vii. Recycling and mineralization of materials: The saprophytic fungi and other decomposers decompose the dead bodies of animals and plants and their waste. It is mineralized and returned to the soil for reuse.

viii. Medical uses :

a. Anibiotics : The first antibiotic was obtained from penicillium by Alexander Fleming in 1928 AD. Other antibiotics derived from fungi are as follows

Patulia Aspergillus claratus

Fumigati – Aspergillus fumigatus

Cephalosporin – Emericellopsis minimum

Viridin – Gliocladium virens

b. Synthesis of vitamins and enzymes: Vitamin B-complex, Vitamin E etc., are obtained from yeasts. Vitamin A is obtained fram Rhodotorula gracilis. Enzymes such as amylase, pectinase, glucose oxidase and invertase are synthesized from some fungi such as Penicillium and Aspergillus.

Last modified: Tuesday, 27 December 2011, 12:05 PM