Developments and Applications of Fungal Biotechnology via Solid-State Culture

Fungal biotechnology is a rapidly developing field that uses the metabolic diversity of filamentous fungi and yeasts to produce enzymes, bioactive compounds, fermented foods, biomaterials, biofuels, and other value-added products. Solid-state culture, in which microorganisms grow on moist solid substrates with limited free water, offers important advantages over submerged fermentation, including the use of low-cost agro-industrial residues, reduced wastewater generation, high product concentrations, and conditions that can resemble the natural habitat of many fungi. However, challenges remain in controlling temperature, moisture, aeration, pH, biomass growth, contamination, and scale-up. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of solid-state systems to improve the production of hydrolytic enzymes, secondary metabolites, organic acids, pigments, and nutraceutical compounds, while also supporting waste valorization and circular bioeconomy strategies. Nevertheless, gaps persist in process monitoring, reactor design, reproducibility, product recovery, regulatory translation, and the integration of omics, computational modelling, and artificial intelligence for process optimization. Further investigation is therefore needed to connect fundamental fungal physiology with robust, sustainable, and commercially viable bioprocesses.This Research Topic aims to advance understanding of fungal biotechnology through solid-state culture by examining the biological, technological, and application-oriented factors that determine process performance. It will address how fungal strains, substrates, culture conditions, reactor configurations, and downstream processing can be optimized to enhance productivity, product quality, sustainability, and economic feasibility. Contributions may also explore mechanisms underlying fungal growth and metabolite production, strategies for overcoming scale-up limitations, and approaches for translating laboratory findings into industrial, environmental, agricultural, food, and pharmaceutical applications.To gather further insights into the development, optimization, and application of fungal solid-state culture systems, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:*Fungal strain selection, screening, improvement, and preservation for solid-state culture*Bioconversion and valorization of agricultural, forestry, and food-processing residues*Production of industrial enzymes, organic acids, pigments, polysaccharides, and secondary metabolites*Production of bioactive compounds, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and functional food ingredients*Solid-state fermentation for food and feed development, including safety and quality assessment*Reactor design, process intensification, aeration, moisture control, and temperature management*Monitoring, modelling, automation, and scale-up of solid-state bioprocesses*Omics, systems biology, artificial intelligence, and metabolic engineering in fungal biotechnology*Downstream processing, product recovery, purification, and formulation*Bioremediation, biodegradation, and environmental applications*Life-cycle assessment, techno-economic analysis, and circular bioeconomy approaches*Industrial translation, standardization, regulatory considerations, and commercialization Topic editors: Gerardo Saucedo-Castañeda, Octavio Loera Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85731/developments-and-applications-of-fungal-biotechnology-via-solid-state-culture