Assessing the nutritional quality of fungal treated wheat straw: Compounds formed after treatment with Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Lentinula edodes

• Published in: Animal feed science and technology 2021-06, Vol.276, p.114924, Article 114924
• Main Authors: Mao, Lei, van Arkel, Jeroen, Hendriks, Wouter H., Cone, John W., de Vos, Ric C.H., Sonnenberg, Anton S.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Metabolites; Mycotoxins; Organic acids; Selective lignin degradation
• ISSN: 0377-8401; 1873-2216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2021.114924

•Organic acid and sugar content changes during 8 weeks of fungal treatment of wheat straw.•Distinctive metabolite profiles are observed for the two white-rot fungi and in time.•The largest shift in metabolite profile and pH occurs within 4 weeks of incubation.•None of 34 mycotoxins analysed are produced by the two fungi grown on wheat straw. A variety of secondary metabolites are formed and compounds released during the bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass by white-rot fungi that can affect the nutritional value and acceptance of the biomass by ruminants. Changes in pH, ergosterol content, fibre and metabolites composition of wheat straw (WS) incubated with either Ceriporiopsis subvermispora or Lentinula edodes for up to 8 weeks were investigated. With increases in mycelium content, significant decreases in absolute amount of hemicellulose, acid detergent lignin and, to a lesser extent, cellulose were observed in both fungal treatments. Acidification mainly occurred within the first four weeks of incubation, coinciding with the largest changes in metabolites profile. Diverse compounds, including organic acids and soluble sugars increased or decreased with C. subvermispora and L. edodes treatment. None of the thirty-four common mycotoxins analyzed were detected in WS after 8 weeks of fungal incubation. These results provide important information for application of fungal treated WS that might affect animal acceptance and performance.