As the EU cracks down on deforestation-linked palm oil, Estonian biotech startup Äio is brewing a sustainable alternative—fermenting wood waste into cosmetic fats using patented red yeast. Their process uses 90% less water than palm oil and aligns with tightening regulations. With €1M in fresh funding, Äio aims to scale its eco-friendly beauty ingredients globally.

Researchers at Jouf University isolated Sarocladium kiliense from Lavandula stricta, revealing potent antimicrobial activity against superbugs like Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, disrupting biofilms by 67%. The fungus also shows anticancer effects on liver and breast cells and strong antioxidant properties, offering hope against drug resistance.

Global poultry production is set to rise over 10% in the next decade, driven largely by chicken, amid pressures from climate change and resource competition (OECD/FAO, 2024). Researchers at Justus Liebig University Giessen, led by Robert Ringseis, are investigating fungal biomass as alternative feed. A Poultry Science study tested Pleurotus sapidus mushrooms in broiler diets.

Researchers from Egypt and Saudi Arabia have developed an innovative progesterone-reishi mushroom composite, published in RSC Advances, that could revolutionize hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer treatments. By encapsulating progesterone in Ganoderma lucidum (reishi), the team achieved 98.1% loading efficiency and sustained release of 88.25% over 48 hours—far outperforming free progesterone's rapid 2-4 hour dissolution.

Imagine turning piles of discarded mushroom scraps into a powerhouse of protein and eco-friendly fertilizer. That's exactly what's happening with spent mushroom substrate (SMS)—the leftover gunk from growing mushrooms like Agrocybe, Lentinus, and Pleurotus. Instead of tossing it out, folks are feeding it to black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), those wriggly little waste-munchers that convert junk into gold.