A tough, bell-shaped fungus that grows on the rotting bark of trees, it has been used as a fire starter for centuries, earning it the nickname "tinder mushroom". Now, researchers are taking a closer look at the molecular structure of this strangely powerful organism and have discovered that it may hold secrets to replace some types of plastic. According to a study published in the journal Science Advances, parts of the fungus, officially called Fomes fomentarius, appeared to have a similar structural strength to plywood or leather, but to a lower weight. Researchers think that it would not be right to collect the tinder fungus from the wild and pour it into the industrial process, but that this fungus should be used somehow. Mohammadi noted that this would not be economically viable and it takes seven to 10 years for F. fomentarius to grow to a significant size. Very common in the Northern Hemisphere, the fungus also plays an important role in its ecosystem by blooming on the bark of rotting beech and birch trees to aid the decay process. That's why researchers are taking promising steps towards growing the fungus or a similar species in vitro, Mohammadi said.
"With advances in industrial biotechnology, we estimate Metric Ton production within weeks, unlike wild-type mushrooms that take years to grow," Mohammadi wrote. “For example, at our research institute, we have 1000 liter pilot scale bioreactors where this can be done.
"However, like any startup technology, it will take several years of R&D to fully realize," she added.
Source:
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/22/world/fungus-replace-plastics-study-scn/index.html
