Exploiting the Biorefinery Potential of Spent Mushroom Substrate: The Time to Do It Is Now

Carlos Martín; Shaojun Xiong; Georgios I. Zervakis

doi:10.3390/molecules30234518

Exploiting the Biorefinery Potential of Spent Mushroom Substrate: The Time to Do It Is Now

Carlos Martín^*
, Shaojun Xiong
, Georgios I. Zervakis

^*Corresponding author for this work

Publication: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review

Abstract

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), the residual material left after mushroom cultivation, represents an abundant yet underutilized bioresource. With global mushroom production generating millions of tons of SMS annually, its disposal constitutes a missed opportunity within the circular bioeconomy. This Opinion article highlights why SMS should be repositioned as a valuable raw material for sustainable biorefineries and outlines the technological, economic, and regulatory steps needed to unlock its potential.

Original language	English
Article number	4518
Number of pages	10
Journal	Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Volume	30
Issue number	23
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234518
Publication status	Published - 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 by the authors.

Keywords

spent mushroom substrate
biorefinery
circular bioeconomy
lignocellulosic biomass
bioactive compounds

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10.3390/molecules30234518

FulltextFinal published version, 439 KBLicence: CC BY

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title = "Exploiting the Biorefinery Potential of Spent Mushroom Substrate: The Time to Do It Is Now",

abstract = "Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), the residual material left after mushroom cultivation, represents an abundant yet underutilized bioresource. With global mushroom production generating millions of tons of SMS annually, its disposal constitutes a missed opportunity within the circular bioeconomy. This Opinion article highlights why SMS should be repositioned as a valuable raw material for sustainable biorefineries and outlines the technological, economic, and regulatory steps needed to unlock its potential.",

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T1 - Exploiting the Biorefinery Potential of Spent Mushroom Substrate: The Time to Do It Is Now

AU - Martín, Carlos

AU - Xiong, Shaojun

AU - Zervakis, Georgios I.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), the residual material left after mushroom cultivation, represents an abundant yet underutilized bioresource. With global mushroom production generating millions of tons of SMS annually, its disposal constitutes a missed opportunity within the circular bioeconomy. This Opinion article highlights why SMS should be repositioned as a valuable raw material for sustainable biorefineries and outlines the technological, economic, and regulatory steps needed to unlock its potential.

AB - Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), the residual material left after mushroom cultivation, represents an abundant yet underutilized bioresource. With global mushroom production generating millions of tons of SMS annually, its disposal constitutes a missed opportunity within the circular bioeconomy. This Opinion article highlights why SMS should be repositioned as a valuable raw material for sustainable biorefineries and outlines the technological, economic, and regulatory steps needed to unlock its potential.

KW - spent mushroom substrate

KW - biorefinery

KW - circular bioeconomy

KW - lignocellulosic biomass

KW - bioactive compounds

KW - spent mushroom substrate

KW - biorefinery

KW - circular bioeconomy

KW - lignocellulosic biomass

KW - bioactive compounds

UR - https://res.slu.se/id/publ/145658

U2 - 10.3390/molecules30234518

DO - 10.3390/molecules30234518

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 41375116

SN - 1420-3049

VL - 30

JO - Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

JF - Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

IS - 23

M1 - 4518

ER -

Exploiting the Biorefinery Potential of Spent Mushroom Substrate: The Time to Do It Is Now

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

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