Production of β-Glucans from Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus by Submerged Culture Method and Evaluation of Its Extraction Techniques

The β-Glucans are exceptionally important polysaccharide compounds in the cell wall of a higher plants, fungi and bacteria. Due to having functional types of bioactive β-glucans, fungi are one of the foremost important sources of β-glucans. In the present study, Pleurotus ostreatus was considered as a source of β-glucan production, which can also   evaluate the effect of the stirring method during mass production. Also the effect of the types of 4 carbon sources namely; xylose, glucose, maltose and lactose (at 3 levels) and 4 different sources of nitrogen including; Malt extract, yeast extract, peptone and rice bran extract (at 1 level) were investigated. The efficiency of the process was calculated by measuring the amount of produced dry mycelium per unit volume. According to the results continuous stirring at a speed of 220 rpm per minute increased the mycelium production and the highest amounts of produced biomass were obtained in the presence of maltose as a carbon source and malt extract and rice bran extract as nitrogen sources. β-glucan extraction was also evaluated by acid and acid-alkaline methods  extracted by acid-alkali method showed a statistically significant difference of about 94% compared to β-glucan extraction by acid method (P<0.05). At a glance the importance of aeration, the type of carbon and nitrogen sources used and the extraction method in achieving economic amounts of β-glucan were proved. Also, the use of right solvents in both acidic and basic pH can obtain β-glucans with high purity for use in pharmaceutical products.