Introduction
Globally, more than 3 trillion tons of organic wastes are generated yearly from various sources. Thus, over 2 trillion tons of this come from agricultural activities (Millati et al., 2019). The forestry sector generates around 503 million cubic meters of waste (FAOSTAT, 2023b). An estimated 2 trillion tons of solid waste are produced at the urban level worldwide, with organic waste comprising between 30% and 65% of that total, depending on the income level of the population (Nanda and Berruti, 2021). Thus, the United States, China, India, Brazil, and the European Union are among the largest producers of organic waste (Millati et al., 2019). Despite the high volume of waste generated, only a mere 5.5% is composted; 33% is dumped into controlled landfill sites; 25% flows into uncontrolled landfills, and 11% is incinerated (Sharma and Jain, 2020), showing a weak waste management systems, giving rise to the emission of greenhouse gases in both rural and urban areas. It is necessary to address this situation; therefore, we need to implement more effective waste management strategies that minimize environmental impacts and create value from waste. Composting and producing enzymes, nanoparticles, and oils are alternatives for effective waste management (Dey et al., 2021; Singh et al., 2022).
Furthermore, edible and medicinal fungi can transform waste into protein- and mineral- rich foods (Thakur, 2020); adding value to waste also brings significant economic benefits. In China, this approach has contributed to poverty alleviation (Zhang et al., 2014). Moreover, the use of fungi's spent mushroom substrate as organic fertilizer, livestock feed, and other resources is a key strategy in building a circular economy, supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Production and Consumption, and Climate Action, highlighting the sustainability of mushroom cultivation (Grimm and Wösten, 2018; Viriato et al., 2024).
Current trend in the cultivation of edible mushrooms
Edible mushroom production has increased fivefold since 2000, reaching 44 million tons in 2021 (FAOSTAT, 2023a), with projections indicating that production will reach 50 million tons by 2025 (Singh et al., 2020). China leads world production, considering mushrooms the fifth most important crop after cereals, vegetables, fruits, and oil crops (Singh et al., 2022), producing 41.134 million tons of fresh mushrooms in 2021, representing 93% of global production (FAOSTAT, 2023a). The remainder of world production is mainly distributed between Japan (1.06%), Poland (0.008%), and the United States (0.007%). At the same time, countries such as the Netherlands, India, Spain, Canada, Russia, and France complete the top 10 world producers (Bijla and Sharma, 2023). This market primarily involves five genera of mushrooms: Lentinula, Pleurotus, Auricularia, Agaricus, and Flammulina, which account for 85% of the world's production. Among these, Lentinula is the most significant, representing 22%, followed by Pleurotus at 19%, Auricularia at 18%, Agaricus at 15%, and Flammulina at 11% of the total volume (Royse et al., 2017), contributing to high-quality protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and essential minerals such as sodium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and zinc (Cuesta and Castro-Ríos, 2017) and their nutritional value can vary depending on the species (Ndem and Oku, 2016; Figure 1). Among the Pleurotus species, the nutritional composition generally ranges from 11.95% to 35.5% protein, 34% to 63.03% carbohydrates, and 1.06% to 7.50% fat (Raman et al., 2021). For Auricularia species, the reports indicate around 12.5% protein, 66% carbohydrates, and 1.7% fat (Kadnikova et al., 2015). Additionally, Medicinal mushrooms have also gained much publicity because of their therapeutic properties, although their cultivation is limited. Hericium erinaceus stands as an eminent example, because its secondary metabolites assist with the stimulation of the synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF), which deficiency is associated with diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia (Thongbai et al., 2015). Ganoderma lucidum is also notable for its triterpenes, such as ganoderic acids, which possess anticancer properties (Ahmad, 2018), and polysaccharides that help lower blood glucose levels (Wachtel-Galor et al., 2011). The polysaccharides PSP and PSK from Trametes versicolor have been shown to possess antitumor properties (Habtemariam, 2020). Another significant medicinal mushroom is Cordyceps militaris, which contains active compounds like cordycepin, structurally similar to adenosine, known to improve physical endurance— beneficial for athletes and older people (Tuli et al., 2014). Finally, it is important to mention that research has been conducted in the study of Psilocybe species within controlled clinical environments for addressing conditions like anxiety and depression (Goldberg et al., 2020). Nonetheless, their use remains strictly regulated and is limited to approve research settings.
Figure 1
This schematic illustrates the sustainability aspects of edible and medicinal mushrooms, as well as their impact on agriculture, the environment, the circular economy, food safety, and government policies; examining how key factors—such as regulatory laws, secondary metabolism, organic waste use, genetic improvements, carbon and water footprints, and income generation — are interconnected and contribute to more sustainable mushroom production and food systems.
Organic waste valorization through mushroom cultivation
Every species of mushroom has unique requirements. Champignon, therefore, needs a more complex substrate consisting of wheat straw and manure (Sánchez, 2010). Shiitake, on the other hand, has traditionally been cultivated on oak logs, but over time, the use of plastic bags packed with forestry and agricultural waste is more common. Although shiitake mushrooms still require the most extended incubation period—between 2 and 3 months in bags and 6 to 12 months on logs—this modification aids in shortening it (Mata et al., 2020). Furthermore, shiitake mushrooms undergo an important “browning” stage, since the color at this stage has a direct effect on the total yield (Fan et al., 2005).
The cultivation of the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps militaris has been studied at the pupae and larval levels. However, alternatives have also been explored, with rice being the main ingredient (Shrestha et al., 2012). G. lucidum, H. erinaceus, and T. versicolor are less complex to cultivate, although they prefer hardwood sawdust as a substrate. Furthermore, it is important to maintain optimal conditions for fruiting. For example, (Zhou, 2017) indicates that temperature is crucial during fruiting for G. lucidum, ranging between 25 and 35 °C and a relative humidity between 85% and 95%. Meanwhile, for H. erinaceus, the optimal temperature range varies between 10 and 24 °C and a relative humidity of 85% and 95% (Sokół et al., 2015). For T. versicolor, there is limited literature available on its cultivation, but González Guerrero et al. (2011) indicate that the fruiting temperature varies between 20 and 24 °C and with humidity close to 90%.
On the other hand, the genus Pleurotus stands out for its ease, speed, and low cost of cultivation (Mandeel et al., 2005). This hardy genus can grow even in unconventional substrates, such as olive oil residues (Dorr et al., 2021). Within the genus, we can find different species that require different temperature ranges for fruiting body formation. For example, P. ostreatus forms basidiocarps between 18 and 22 °C; P. Florida from 20 to 28 °C; P. citrinopileatus from 18 to 29 °C; P. pulmonarius and P. eryngii from 20 to 25 °C; and P. djamor from 21 to 30 °C (Raman et al., 2021). Thus, P. djamor, P. citrinopileatus, and G. lucidum are more suitable for warmer seasons than H. erinaceus and P. ostreatus, which would be more suitable in colder seasons.
Mushrooms are highly versatile and can thrive on various substrates, which allows for the sustainable use of organic waste in agriculture. Thus, P. ostreatus and L. edodes can be cultivated on straw, seed hulls, corn cobs, sawdust, pulp, and leaves. In addition, A. bisporus and V. volcaea are cultivated on composted organic waste (Grimm and Wösten, 2018; Suwannarach et al., 2022). In urban areas, sawdust can readily be sourced from carpentry shops. However, straw is more challenging and must be transported from rural areas. Therefore, it is crucial to identify suitable organic waste for growing edible mushrooms in cities (Figure 1). Coffee grounds can therefore be added to mushroom substrate (Tambaru et al., 2023). However, because of the density of the substrate, pure coffee grounds do not promote the best mycelium growth. Moreover, pods, stems, and husks are among the other waste materials that can be used as substrates for the growth of mushrooms (Mann and Sooch, 2022). Even grass (Panicum sp. and Pennisetum sp.) from parks and gardens can be utilized to cultivate mushrooms (Liang et al., 2009; Das et al., 2000).
Environmental impact of mushroom cultivation
The water footprint serves as a standard tool to measure and analyze the water-use efficiency across different production systems (Hoekstra et al., 2011). Mushrooms serve as an alternative protein source because they help lower water footprint values. Small- scale Pleurotus mushroom cultivation in Sri Lanka requires 1,181 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram, according to. This amount is significantly lower than the water needed for other protein sources, such as 1 kg of eggs (3,734 L), broiler chicken meat (7,546 L), pork (9,370 L), beef (15,415 L), soybean meal (1,779 L), and lentils (5,874 L) (De Silva et al., 2023). Additionally, the greenhouse gas emissions from a small mushroom farm in France range from 2.99 to 3.18 kg of CO2 per kilogram of oyster mushrooms (Dorr et al., 2021). In Thailand, the emissions for producing 1 kg of P. sajor-caju varied among different farm sizes: 3.371 kg for large farms, 5.003 kg for medium farms, and 3.0146 kg for small farms (Ueawiwatsakul et al., 2014). In agreement with these results, Leiva et al. (2015) reported that mushroom cultivation in La Rioja, Spain, produces 4.42 kg of CO2. These findings are significantly lower than those from animal protein sources, particularly beef, since the emissions for 1 kg of beef in feedlots can range between 22 kg (Beauchemin et al., 2010) and 34.3 kg of CO2 (Roy et al., 2012).
Economic and social impact of the mushroom industry
Mushroom production and economic value have been increasing globally, and it is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 7.13% during the period 2025–2033, reaching USD 116.26 billion at the end of 2033 (Market Data Forecast, 2025). Moreover, mushroom cultivation plays a crucial role in rural development in China because it can alleviate poverty, generating incomes up to 10 times higher than traditional crops like rice and corn (Li and Xu, 2022). This achievement is due to its minimal space requirements, brief cultivation period (Imtiaj and Rahman, 2008), and vertical growing capability (Kaur and Kapoor, 2023). This success has stimulated countries like India to launch training programs for young people and women to cultivate mushrooms (Thakur, 2020), resulting in a production increase of approximately 0.13 million tons between 2010 and 2017 (Raman et al., 2018). In Africa, Motlhalamme (2019) found that cultivating Pleurotus mushrooms using residues like millet could yield an average income of $7,406.50 per hectare, compared to just $16.87 per hectare from millet grain. Kazige et al. (2022) reported similar findings in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, noting that cultivating Pleurotus mushrooms using plantain leaves could yield a profit of up to $4,166.70 per hectare. The production costs for this method amount to $1,960.0 per hectare.
Fungal biodiversity and genetic improvement
Mushroom breeding encounters global challenges that affect food security, productivity, accessibility, and nutritional quality. Fungal biodiversity presents a valuable opportunity to enhance breeding and introduce new species. Some countries, like Mexico and Korea, have already utilized native strains to improve and increase commercial value (Sobal et al., 2007; Jang et al., 2016). Moreover, it is important to know the underlying genetic mechanism that controls high yield to accelerate mushroom breeding and cultivation. Therefore, it is critical to identify genes controlling mycelial growth, primordium formation, button germination, and fruiting body development (Wang et al., 2024). Improvements have been made; thus, the study of Li et al. (2023) found that the Cmhyd4 gene negatively regulates fruiting body development in C. militaris, and its knock-out increased the density of fruiting bodies by 20% to 30%. Additionally, CRISPR-Cas9 technology can modify genes to enhance these characteristics, as it is a gene-editing technology that can correct errors in the genome and regulate gene expression in cells and organisms quickly (Redman et al., 2016), working well in edible mushrooms like Pleurotus, where Boontawon et al. (2021) created mutants that are resistant to harmful substances like 5-fluorouracil. Moreover, Liu et al. (2020) employed an improved CRISPR/Cas9 system to advance functional genomic studies in G. lucidum.
Conclusions
Mushroom cultivation is a promising alternative (Figure 1) due to the increasing demand for their medicinal and nutritional properties. Moreover, their ability to degrade organic waste from urban and rural areas, along with their minimal carbon and water footprint, makes their cultivation a sustainable practice that aligns with the principles of a circular economy. Furthermore, mushrooms contribute to improving rural livelihood and strengthening local economies. It will be essential for governments to promote mushroom cultivation, and with increased production, there will be a need to develop better strains using molecular technologies like CRISPR-CAS9.
Statements
Author contributions
HA-C: Visualization, Writing – review & editing, Conceptualization, Writing – original draft. GZ: Project administration, Visualization, Writing – review & editing, Funding acquisition, Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing – original draft.
Funding
The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This research was funded by UNALM resolución N° 0620-2023-R and PROCIENCIA grant number PE501089655-2024.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Generative AI statement
The author(s) declare that no Gen AI was used in the creation of this manuscript.
Any alternative text (alt text) provided alongside figures in this article has been generated by Frontiers with the support of artificial intelligence and reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, including review by the authors wherever possible. If you identify any issues, please contact us.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
References
1
Ahmad M. F. (2018). Ganoderma lucidum: persuasive biologically active constituents and their health endorsement. Biomed. Pharmacother.107, 507–519. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.08.036
2
Beauchemin K. A. Henry Janzen H. Little S. M. McAllister T. A. McGinn S. M. (2010). Life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from beef production in western Canada: a case study. Agric. Syst.103, 371–379. doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2010.03.008
3
Bijla S. Sharma V. P. (2023). Status of mushroom production: global and national scenario. Mushroom Res.32, 91–98. doi: 10.36036/MR.32.2.2023.146647
4
Boontawon T. Nakazawa T. Inoue C. Osakabe K. Kawauchi M. Sakamoto M. et al . (2021). Efficient genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 in Pleurotus ostreatus. AMB Express11, 1–11. doi: 10.1186/s13568-021-01193-w
5
Cuesta M. C. Castro-Ríos K. (2017). Mushrooms as a strategy to reduce food insecurity in Colombia. Nutr. Food Sci.47, 817–828. doi: 10.1108/NFS-03-2017-0039
6
Das N. Mahapatra S. C. Chattopadhyay R. N. (2000). Use of wild grasses as substrate for cultivation of oyster mushroom in South West Bengal. Mushroom Res.9, 95–99. Available online at: https://epubs.icar.org.in/index.php/MR/article/view/53296 (Accessed July 24, 2025).
7
De Silva S. T. D. Atapattu N. S. B. M. Kumara K. L. W. (2023). The water footprint of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) cultivation under small-scale polybag farming conditions in Sri Lanka. J. Agric. Sci. Sri Lanka18, 172–182. doi: 10.4038/jas.v18i2.10251
8
Dey T. Bhattacharjee T. Nag P. Ritika Ghati, A. Kuila A. (2021). Valorization of agro-waste into value added products for sustainable development. Bioresour. Technol. Rep.16:100834. doi: 10.1016/j.biteb.2021.100834
9
Dorr E. Koegler M. Gabrielle B. Aubry C. (2021). Life cycle assessment of a circular, urban mushroom farm. J. Clean. Prod.288, 1–13. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125668
10
Fan L. Pan H. Wu Y. Choi K. W. (2005). “Shiitake bag cultivation in China,” in Mushroom Growers' Handbook 2: Shiitake Cultivation (Seoul: MushWorld), 121–131.
11
FAOSTAT (2023a). Crops and livestock products: World + Total; Mushrooms and truffles; Production quantity, 2000–2023. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Available online at: https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL (Accessed July 14, 2025).
12
FAOSTAT (2023b). Forestry Production and Trade: World + Total; Wood chips, particles and residues; Production quantity, 2021. Available online at: https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FO (Accessed July 14, 2025).
13
Goldberg S. B. Pace B. T. Nicholas C. R. Raison C. L. Hutson P. R. (2020). The experimental effects of psilocybin on symptoms of anxiety and depression: a meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res.284:112749. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112749
14
González Guerrero D. Esparza Martínez V. de la Torre Almaráz R. (2011). Cultivation of trametes versicolor in Mexico. Micol. Apl. Int.23, 55–58.
15
Grimm D. Wösten H. A. B. (2018). Mushroom cultivation in the circular economy. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol.102, 7795–7803. doi: 10.1007/s00253-018-9226-8
16
Habtemariam S. (2020). Trametes versicolor (Synn. Coriolus versicolor) polysaccharides in cancer therapy: targets and efficacy. Biomedicines8:135. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines8050135
17
Hoekstra A. Y. Chapagain A. K. Aldaya M. M. Mekonnen M. M. (2011). The Water Footprint Assessment Manual: Setting the Global Standard.London: Routledge.
18
Imtiaj A. Rahman S. A. (2008). Economic viability of mushrooms cultivation to poverty reduction in Bangladesh. Trop. Subtrop. Agroecosys.8, 93–99. doi: 10.35648/20.500.12413/11781/ii275
19
Jang K.-Y. Oh Y.-L. Oh M. Woo S.-I. Shin P.-G. Im J. et al . (2016). Introduction of the representative mushroom cultivars and groundbreaking cultivation techniques in Korea. J. Mushroom14, 136–141. doi: 10.14480/JM.2016.14.4.136
20
Kadnikova I. A. Costa R. Kalenik T. K. Guruleva O. N. Yanguo S. (2015). Chemical composition and nutritional value of the mushroom Auricularia auricula-judae. J. Food Nutr. Res.3, 478–482. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-3-8-1
21
Kaur P. Kapoor P. (2023). Revolutionizing mushroom cultivation: a comprehensive review of hydroponics in fungiculture. Curr. J. Appl. Sci. Technol.42, 19–37. doi: 10.9734/cjast/2023/v42i444280
22
Kazige O. K. Chuma G. B. Lusambya A. S. Mondo J. M. Balezi A. Z. Mapatano S. et al . (2022). Valorizing staple crop residues through mushroom production to improve food security in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. J. Agric. Food Res.8, 1–11. doi: 10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100285
23
Leiva F. J. Saenz-Díez J. C. Martínez E. Jiménez E. Blanco J. (2015). Environmental impact of Agaricus bisporus cultivation process. Eur. J. Agron.71, 141–148. doi: 10.1016/j.eja.2015.09.013
24
Li C. Xu S. (2022). Edible mushroom industry in China: current state and perspectives. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol.106, 3949–3955. doi: 10.1007/s00253-022-11985-0
25
Li X. Liu M. Dong C. (2023). Hydrophobin gene Cmhyd4 negatively regulates fruiting body development in edible fungi Cordyceps militaris. Int. J. Mol. Sci.24, 1–13. doi: 10.3390/ijms24054586
26
Liang Z. C. Wu C. Y. Shieh Z. L. Cheng S. L. (2009). Utilization of grass plants for cultivation of Pleurotus citrinopileatus. Int. Biodeterior. Biodegradation63, 509–514. doi: 10.1016/j.ibiod.2008.12.006
27
Liu K. Sun B. You H. Tu J. L. Yu X. Zhao P. et al . (2020). Dual sgRNA- directed gene deletion in basidiomycete Ganoderma lucidum using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Microb. Biotechnol.13, 386–396. doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.13534
28
Mandeel Q. A. Al-Laith A. A. Mohamed S. A. (2005). Cultivation of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.) on various lignocellulosic wastes. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol.21, 601–607. doi: 10.1007/s11274-004-3494-4
29
Mann M. K. Sooch B. S. (2022). “Utilization of fruit and vegetable wastes for the cultivation of edible mushrooms,” in Fruits and Vegetable Wastes: Valorization to Bioproducts and Platform Chemicals, ed. R. C. Ray (Singapore: Springer), 117–138.
30
Market Data Forecast (2025). Edible Mushroom Market. Market Data Forecast. Available online at: https://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/edible- mushroom-market (Accessed August 7, 2025).
31
Mata G. Gaitán-Hernández R. Salmones D. (2020). El cultivo del shiitake: tecnología e innovación en la producción de un alimento y medicina ancestral. Xalapa: Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Available online at: https://libros.inecol.mx/index.php/libros/catalog/view/499/606/3053 (Accessed July 23, 2025).
32
Millati R. Cahyono R. B. Ariyanto T. Azzahrani I. N. Putri R. U. Taherzadeh M. J. (2019). “Agricultural, industrial, municipal, and forest wastes: an overview,” in Sustainable Resource Recovery and Zero Waste Approaches (Amsterdam: Elsevier), 1–22.
33
Motlhalamme T. (2019). Value-addition of cereal crop residues using low technology oyster mushroom (pleurotus spp.) production to improve small-scale farmers' income and nutrition in Botswana.Gaborone: Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
34
Nanda S. Berruti F. (2021). Municipal solid waste management and landfilling technologies: a review. Environ. Chem. Lett.19, 1433–1456. doi: 10.1007/s10311-020-01100-y
35
Ndem J. U. Oku M. O. (2016). Mushroom Production for Food Security in Nigeria. p. 48. Available online at: www.iiste.org (Accessed July 15, 2025).
36
Raman J. Jang K. Y. Oh Y. L. Oh M. Im J. H. Lakshmanan H. et al . (2021). Cultivation and nutritional value of prominent Pleurotus spp.: an overview. Mycobiology49, 1–14. doi: 10.1080/12298093.2020.1835142
37
Raman J. Lee S.-K. Im J.-H. Oh M.-J. Oh Y.-L. Jang K.-Y. (2018). Current prospects of mushroom production and industrial growth in India. J. Mushroom16, 239–249. doi: 10.14480/JM.2018.16.4.239
38
Redman M. King A. Watson C. King D. (2016). What is CRISPR/Cas9?Arch. Dis. Child. Educ. Pract. Ed.101, 213–215. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2016-310459
39
Roy P. Orikasa T. Thammawong M. Nakamura N. Xu Q. Shiina T. (2012). Life cycle of meats: an opportunity to abate the greenhouse gas emission from meat industry in Japan. J. Environ. Manage.93, 218–224. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2011.09.017
40
Royse D. J. Baars J. Tan Q. (2017). “Current overview of mushroom production in the world,” in Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms: Technology and Applications, eds. D. C. Zied and A. Pardo-Giménez (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, Ltd), 5–13. doi: 10.1002/9781119149446.ch2
41
Sánchez C. (2010). Cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus and other edible mushrooms. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol.85, 1232–1337. doi: 10.1007/s00253-009-2343-7
42
Sharma K. D. Jain S. (2020). Municipal solid waste generation, composition, and management: the global scenario. Soc. Respons. J.16, 917–948. doi: 10.1108/SRJ-06-2019-0210
43
Shrestha B. Zhang W. Zhang Y. Liu X. (2012). The medicinal fungus Cordyceps militaris: research and development. Mycol. Prog.11, 599–614. doi: 10.1007/s11557-012-0825-y
44
Singh M. Kamal S. Sharma V. P. (2020). Status and trends in world mushroom production-III-World Production of different mushroom species in 21st century. Mushroom Res.29, 75–111. doi: 10.36036/MR.29.2.2020.113703
45
Singh M. Kamal S. Sharma V. P. (2022). Species and region-wise mushroom production in leading mushroom producing countries - China, Japan, USA, Canada and India. Mushroom Res.30, 99–108. doi: 10.36036/MR.30.2.2021.119394
46
Sobal M. Morales P. Bonilla M. Huerta G. Martínez-Carrera D. (2007). “El Centro de Recursos Genéticos de Hongos Comestibles (CREGENHC) del Colegio de Postgraduados,” in El Cultivo de Setas Pleurotus spp. en México (México, D.F.: ECOSUR-CONACYT), 1–14. Available online at: http://hongoscomestiblesymedicinales.com/Mexico/COLPOS/A/4.pdf (Accessed July 23, 2025).
47
Sokół S. Golak-Siwulska I. Sobieralski K. Siwulski M. Górka K. (2015). Biology, cultivation, and medicinal functions of the mushroom Hericium erinaceum. Acta. Mycol.50, 1–18. doi: 10.5586/am.1069
48
Suwannarach N. Kumla J. Zhao Y. Kakumyan P. (2022). Impact of cultivation substrate and microbial community on improving mushroom productivity: a review. Biology11, 1–27. doi: 10.3390/biology11040569
49
Tambaru E. Ura' R. Tuwo M. (2023). The effect of coffee grounds and sawdust Tectona grandis L. f. as planting media for cultivation oyster mushroom Pleurotus sp. IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci.1230, 1–9. doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1230/1/012071
50
Thakur M. P. (2020). Advances in mushroom production: key to food, nutritional and employment security: a review. Indian Phytopathol.73, 377–395. doi: 10.1007/s42360-020-00244-9
51
Thongbai B. Rapior S. Hyde K. D. Wittstein K. Stadler M. (2015). Hericium erinaceus, an amazing medicinal mushroom. Mycol. Prog.14, 1–23. doi: 10.1007/s11557-015-1105-4
52
Tuli H. S. Sandhu S. S. Sharma A. K. (2014). Pharmacological and therapeutic potential of Cordyceps with special reference to Cordycepin. 3 Biotech4, 1–12. doi: 10.1007/s13205-013-0121-9
53
Ueawiwatsakul S. Mungcharoen T. Tongpool R. (2014). Life cycle assessment of Sajor-caju mushroom (Pleurotus Sajor-caju) from different sizes of farms in Thailand. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Dev.5, 435–439. doi: 10.7763/IJESD.2014.V5.523
54
Viriato V. Carvalho S. A. D. de, Santoro, B. de L. Bonfim F. P. G. (2024). A business model for circular bioeconomy: edible mushroom production and its alignment with the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Recycling 68, 9, 1–12. doi: 10.3390/recycling9040068
55
Wachtel-Galor S. Yuen J. Buswell J. A. Benzie I. F. F. (2011). Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi): a Medicinal Mushroom. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects: Second Edition, 175–199. Available online at: http://europepmc.org/books/NBK92757 (Accessed July 16, 2025).
56
Wang F. Li F. Han L. Wang J. Ding X. Liu Q. et al . (2024). High-yield-related genes participate in mushroom production. J. Fungi10, 1–14. doi: 10.3390/jof10110767
57
Zhang Y. Geng W. Shen Y. Wang Y. Dai Y. C. (2014). Edible mushroom cultivation for food security and rural development in China: bio-innovation, technological dissemination and marketing. Sustainability6, 2961–2973. doi: 10.3390/su6052961
58
Zhou X. W. (2017). “Cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum: technology and applications,” in Edible and Medicinal Mushroom, eds. C. Zied Diego and A. Pardo-Giménez (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Ltd), 385–413.
Summary
Keywords
edible and medicinal mushrooms, circular economy, food security, carbon and water footprint, fungal diversity
Citation
Aso-Campos H and Zolla G (2026) The potential of edible and medicinal mushrooms in promoting the circular economy and enhancing food security. Front. Sustain. 6:1683332. doi: 10.3389/frsus.2025.1683332
Received
10 August 2025
Accepted
30 September 2025
Published
02 January 2026
Volume
6 - 2025
Edited by
Giacomo Di Foggia, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
Reviewed by
Viviany Viriato, São Paulo State University, Brazil
Updates
Copyright
© 2026 Aso-Campos and Zolla.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Gaston Zolla, gemzb@yahoo.com
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.