Background: Beta-glucan, a compound found in higher fungi, possesses significant properties important for the human body, including immunomodulatory effects. Developing efficient extraction technology is crucial to ensure a high yield of beta-glucan component while preserving its bioactive properties. Context and purpose of this study: This study aimed to evaluate the extraction efficiency of beta-glucans from Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium powder using microwave-assisted extraction and to compare its performance with traditional extraction methods—specifically water and ethyl alcohol-based extractions. Objective: The aim of this study is to increase the yield of the aqueous extract of beta-glucan from the mycelium of the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus, while ensuring its biological activity is preserved for subsequent use in the fortifying food products. To achieve this, various extraction methods were employed. Results: Traditional methods of beta-glucan extraction, including water and ethyl alcohol-based processes, yielded the largest amount of beta-glucan of 1.45 ± 0.02 g of beta-glucan. The stimulation index, a measure of beta-glucans on the human phagocytosis system, reached 1.28 under optimal conditions — double treatment with ethanol followed by a double extraction with water, each extraction lasting three hours. When extracting beta-glucan using microwave radiation, 2.97 g of beta-glucan was obtained—2.05 times greater than traditional methods. The simulation index also improved by 13%, reaching 1.47% while reducing the extraction time. Conclusions: Based on the conducted research, it has been found that the extraction of beta-glucan from the mycelium of the Pleurotus ostreatus fungus is advisable to carry out using microwave processing, which significantly reduces the extraction time while maintaining the biological activity of beta-glucan. Keywords: Basidiomycetes, Pleurotus ostreatus, beta-glucan, water extraction, ethyl alcohol extraction, microwave radiation, immunomodulatory properties.
Read full abstract