Fungal conversion of lignocellulosic materials is an exciting branch of the biological conversion industry as it facilitates a biological process where wood wastes can be processed in a completely natural and environmentally benign manner and where one or more valuable and commercially attractive by-products are produced as part of the process
In contrast to composting, fungal conversion is a fully controllable biological process where only one specific type of fungal agent is employed to process – or sometimes re-process – the lignocellulosic material into a different state. This type of fungal conversion relies on the exclusion of other competitive microorganism in order to provide the primary organism with a distinct and unchallenged biological niche that can be fully exploited.
Fungal conversion of lignocellulosic materials is an exceptionally effective conversion method because the fungal organism employed will physically consume specific fractions of the lignocellulosic material during the conversion process. Depending on the type of fungal agent employed, by-products of such a conversion process will include anything from edible mushrooms right through to a wide range of mycelial products that can be further refined as food additives, pharmaceutical products, plant growth stimulators, nutraceuticals, fertilizer additives etc. The processed wood substrates can often serve as a nutrient base for further fungal conversion by a different fungal agent and are of great value as feedstock material for other processes such as cellulosic ethanol or biogas production.
Convertech can assist clients with various aspects of this process including substrate development, nutrient base formulations, supply of pure cultures and inoculums, automation, design and manufacturing of specialized equipment. Convertech can also provide turn-key solutions including the supply of fully controlled incubation / cultivation environments.