Lion’s Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus): Advances in Bioactive Compounds, Cultivation Technologies, and Food Applications

Lion’s Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) is an edible and medicinal fungus that has attracted growing scientific and commercial interest as a functional food and a source of health-promoting compounds. Beyond its culinary value, it produces a distinctive array of bioactive metabolites—including polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, and the diterpenoid erinacines and aromatic hericenones—that have been associated with neurotrophic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. As consumers and industry increasingly seek natural, sustainably produced ingredients, Lion’s Mane sits at the intersection of nutrition, biotechnology, and sustainable food systems. However, translating its recognized potential into reliable, scalable, and safe food applications requires stronger integration across mushroom cultivation science, natural-product chemistry, food technology, and microbiology. This Research Topic brings these perspectives together to consolidate current knowledge and guide the next generation of evidence-based applications.Despite rapid growth in publications on Hericium erinaceus, the evidence base remains fragmented. Bioactive-compound studies are often disconnected from the cultivation and processing conditions that shape metabolite profiles, while claims of functional benefits are not always supported by rigorous chemical characterization or standardized analytical methods. As a result, it is difficult to reproduce results, compare studies, or reliably link a given cultivation or post-harvest practice to a defined functional outcome. Food-safety and preservation applications of Lion’s Mane-derived compounds—including their potential as natural antimicrobials and shelf-life extenders—remain especially underexplored.This Research Topic aims to address these gaps by inviting work that (i) identifies and quantifies key bioactive compounds using robust, reproducible methods; (ii) connects substrate, environmental, cultivation-system, and post-harvest variables to yield, quality, and bioactive production; and (iii) evaluates safety, antimicrobial, and preservation applications within sustainable food systems. Recent advances in analytical chemistry, controlled-environment cultivation, and green processing make this an opportune moment to establish stronger, application-oriented evidence.This collection welcomes interdisciplinary contributions spanning cultivation science, food technology, microbiology, natural-product chemistry, biotechnology, nutrition, and health-related applications of Hericium erinaceus. We invite authors to address themes including:• Identification, quantification, and biological activities of polysaccharides, phenolics, erinacines, hericenones, and other metabolites• Effects of substrate composition, environmental conditions, and cultivation systems on yield, quality, and bioactive production• Post-harvest handling, processing, and preservation strategies and their impact on functional properties• Lion’s Mane-derived compounds as natural antimicrobials, functional ingredients, and shelf-life extenders• Food safety, quality, and sustainability of Lion’s Mane across the food chain• Nutritional and health-related applications supported by rigorous characterizationWe welcome the following manuscript types: Original Research, Review, Systematic Review, Mini-Review, Perspective, Brief Research Report, and Data Report. Topic editors: Raul Avila-Sosa, Efren Robledo-Leal, Esperanza Duarte-Escalante Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83797/lions-mane-mushroom-hericium-erinaceus-advances-in-bioactive-compounds-cultivation-technologies-and-food-applications