Culturable Fungi Research Articles

Suitability of maize crop residue fermented by Pleurotus ostreatus as feed for edible crickets: growth performance, micronutrient content, and iron bioavailability.

Small-scale farming of edible insects could help combat public health challenges such as protein energy malnutrition and anemia, but reliable low-cost feeds for insects are needed. In resource-limited contexts, where grains such as maize are prohibitively costly for use as insect feed, the feasibility of insect farming may depend on finding alternatives. Here, we explore the potential to modify plentiful maize crop residue with edible mushroom mycelium to generate a low-cost feed adjunct for the farmed two-spotted cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus. Mushroom farming, like insect agriculture, is versatile; it can yield nutritious food while increasing system circularity by utilizing lignocellulosic residues from row crops as inputs. Pleurotus ostreatus, is an edible basidiomycete capable of being cultivated on corn stover (Zea mays). Mushroom harvest results in abundant "spent" substrate, which we investigated as a candidate feed ingredient. We created six cricket feeds containing fermented Pleurotus substrate plus an unfermented control, measuring cricket mass, mortality, and maturation weekly to evaluate cricket growth performance impacts of both fungal fermentation duration and mushroom formation. Pasteurized corn stover was inoculated with P. ostreatus mycelium and fermented for 0, 2, 3, 4, or 8 weeks. Some 4 and 8-week substrates were induced to produce mushrooms through manipulations of temperature, humidity, and light conditions. Dried fermented stover (40%) was added to a 1:1 corn/soy grain mix and fed to crickets ad libitum for 44 days. The unfermented control group showed higher survivorship compared to several fermented diets. Control group mass yield was higher for 2 out of 6 fermented diets. Little variation in cricket iron content was observed via ICP-spectrometry across feeds, averaging 2.46 mg/100 g. To determine bioavailability, we conducted in vitro Caco-2 human colon epithelial cell absorption assays, showing that iron in crickets fed fruiting-induced substrates was more bioavailable than in unfruited groups. Despite more bioavailable iron in crickets reared on post-fruiting substrates, we conclude that Pleurotus-fermented stover is an unsuitable feed ingredient for G. bimaculatus due to high mortality, variability in growth responses within treatments, and low mass yield.

Biotechnological Applications of Mushrooms under the Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Crucial Aspects and Prospects from Farm to Pharmacy.

Mushrooms have always been an important source of food, with high nutritional value and medicinal attributes. With the use of biotechnological applications, mushrooms have gained further attention as a source of healthy food and bioenergy. This review presents different biotechnological applications and explores how these can support global food, energy, and water security. It highlights mushroom's relevance to meet the sustainable development goals of the UN. This review also discusses mushroom farming and its requirements. The biotechnology review includes sections on how to use mushrooms in producing nanoparticles, bioenergy, and bioactive compounds, as well as how to use mushrooms in bioremediation. The different applications are discussed under the water, energy, and food (WEF) nexus. As far as we know, this is the first report on mushroom biotechnology and its relationships to the WEF nexus. Finally, the review valorizes mushroom biotechnology and suggests different possibilities for mushroom farming integration.

Biodiversity of Endophytic Microbes in Diverse Tea Chrysanthemum Cultivars and Their Potential Promoting Effects on Plant Growth and Quality.

The endophytic microbiomes significantly differed across tea chrysanthemum cultivars and organs (stems and leaves). The most abundant endophytic bacterial genera were Pseudomonas, Masillia, and Enterobacter in the leaves and Sphingomonas and Curtobacterium in the stems of the five cultivars. Meanwhile, the most abundant endophytic fungal genera in the leaves and stems of the five tea chrysanthemums were Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Sporobolomyces. Specifically, Rhodotorula was dominant in the leaves of 'Jinsi huangjv' and Paraphoma was dominant in the stems of 'Jinsi huangjv'. In all cultivars, the diversity and richness of endophytic bacteria were higher in leaves than in stems (p < 0.05). The highest diversity and richness of endophytic bacteria were recorded in 'Chujv', followed by 'Jinsi huangjv', 'Fubai jv', 'Nannong jinjv', and 'Hangbai jv'. Meanwhile, endophytic fungi were less pronounced. Twenty-seven and 15 cultivable endophytic bacteria and fungi were isolated, four isolated endophytic bacteria, namely, CJY1 (Bacillus oryzaecorticis), CY2 (Pseudomonas psychrotolerans), JSJ7, and JSJ17 (Enterobacter cloacae) showed higher indole acetic acid production ability. Further field studies indicated that inoculation of these four endophytic bacteria not only promoted plant growth and yield but also increased total flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, and 3,5-dicoffeylquinic acid levels in the dry flowers of tea chrysanthemums.

Sebagai Upaya Meningkatkan Pendapatan Masyarakat Desa Wonomerto Melakukan Budidaya Jamur Tiram Putih

Indonesia, with a hot climate and high humidity, is an ideal place for the growth of various types of mushrooms. And also, cultivating oyster mushrooms is quite easy when compared to others. Apart from that, the main advantage of oyster mushroom cultivation is that it does not require extensive permits, has a long relatively short harvest of about one to three months, and oyster mushroom seeds are easy to obtain at an affordable price. In this research, the Participatory Action Research (PAR) method is used, which is a research approach that involves the active participation of people involved in the context being studied. It is hoped that with the cultivation of oyster mushrooms in Wonotirto Hamlet which continues to grow, the situation can change so that it can increase the income of local residents. With the development of oyster mushroom cultivation in Indonesia, especially Wonomerto Village, it is hoped that the number of oyster mushroom farmers or entrepreneurs can continue to increase so that oyster mushroom production can also increase.&#x0D;

Agro-industrial waste based substrate for production of two major cultivated oyster mushrooms in sub-Himalayan West Bengall

Aim: To compare the outcomes of various agro-industrial wastes on the growth, yield and nutritional contents of two major cultivated oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus djamor. Methodology: Locally available agro-industrial wastes were utilized as substrate in five formulations including rice straw alone and in combination with card board (7: 3), waste paper (7: 3), rice husk (17:3) and jack fruit saw dust (7:3). After sterilization substrates were inoculated with mature spawn and placed in cropping room. Results: Total yield, biological efficiency and nutritional contents were found better in the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus djamor cultivated on rice straw as the sole substrate than the mixed substrate formulations. Total colonization period (22.6 days for P. ostreatus and 20.2 days for P. djamor) was quite less for both the oyster mushroom cultivated in rice husk mixed substrate among mixed substrate formulations. Among mixed substrate formulations, highest total yield was obtained from waste paper mixed substrate for Pleurotus ostreatus (713.8 g) and card board mixed substrate for Pleurotus djamor (737.7 g). The highest carbohydrate content in Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus djamor were found in card board mixed substrate. Total protein content was high in fruiting bodies cultivated on saw dust mixed substrate for both the oyster mushrooms. Interpretation: Card board, waste paper, rice husk and saw dust mixed substrates showed relatively high fruiting body yield and nutritional values. It can be concluded that these agro-industrial waste appears to be the promising ingredients in combination with rice straw for cultivation of oyster mushroom. Key words: Agro-Industrial waste, Nutrition, Oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus, Rice straw

The Number and Species Diversity of Cultured Microfungi on the Barents Sea Coast

The number and diversity of cultivated microscopic fungi isolated from seawater, littoral and supralittoral soil on the coast of the Barents Sea were studied. Communities of microfungi are mainly represented by facultative marine fungi of terrigenous origin. The isolates mainly belonged to anamorphic fungi of the department Ascomycota and are represented by the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, Talaromyces, Trichoderma, Acremonium etc., characteristic of the cold northern seas. The frequently found species in the study area were Aspergillus brasiliensis, Penicillium hirsutum, P. glabrum, P. spinulosum, P. janczewskii, Trichoderma koningii, T. viride, Talaromyces purpureogenus. The number of fungi in the supralittoral soil is two to three orders of magnitude higher than in the soils of the littoral zone and averaged from 4 to 13 thousand CFU/g. In sea water, the number of fungi was only a few units per ml. The maximum number of saccharolytic fungi was noted in the soils of the supralittoral zone. In the soils of the littoral and sea water, the number of hydrocarbon-oxidizing fungi varied from 52.5 to 143.3 CFU/g and from 0 to 4 CFU/ml, respectively. The number of saccharolytics varied from 0 to 113 CFU/g in the littoral soil and from 0 to 3 CFU/mL in sea water in all the studied areas, except for the most polluted ones, where it reached values of 200 CFU/g. An increase in the proportion of saccharolytic fungi in sea water and littoral may indicate anthropogenic pollution of the area, including hydrocarbons and other organic compounds. The urbanized areas of the Kola Bay with a high anthropogenic load were characterized by a richer species diversity and an increase in the proportion of pathogenic and opportunistic forms of microscopic fungi. A high level of hydrocarbon pollution negatively affected the number of saccharolytic fungi, while lower values of hydrocarbon content did not affect the number of saccharolytics. The number of fungi grown on Czapek’s mineral medium decreased as the amount of hydrocarbons both in sea water and in the littoral zone increased, which may indicate a high vulnerability of marine microfungi to pollution.

The culturable leaf mycobiome of Viscum album subsp. austriacum

AbstractIn Poland's pine forests, mistletoe (Viscum album subsp. austriacum) abundance has increased over the past 20 years. This mistletoe infestation has decreased the growth and vigour of Scots pine trees. In this study, we surveyed the culturable fungi from healthy and diseased V. album subsp. austriacum leaves from two stands in Poland. In total, 63 distinct species were identified, 99.8% of which belonged to the phylum Ascomycota. The community compositions of fungi in mistletoe leaves were similar in healthy and diseased leaves as Alternaria alternata, Aureobasidium pullulans, Botryosphaeria visci, Fusarium paeoniae and Microsphaeropsis olivacea were consistently found in leaves of all symptom types. The most frequently isolated fungus from asymptomatic leaves was M. olivacea, followed by A. alternata, A. pullulans and Hypoxylon rubiginosum. In comparison, the most frequently isolated fungi from leaves with rusty‐brown necrotic spots were (in decreasing order) M. olivacea, B. visci, F. paeoniae and A. alternata, while the most frequently isolated fungi from leaves with black or dark brown spots were M. olivacea, A. alternata, A. pullulans, Epicoccum layuense and F. paeoniae. This study was the first comprehensive report showing that certain fungal species may be pathogens of V. album subsp. austriacum in Poland. This study was also the first report of F. paeoniae, F. juglandicola, Diaporthe vacuae and Heterotruncatella spartii from V. album, and the first report of D. vacuae and H. spartii in Poland.

Improving the efficiency of management decision-making: developing a simulation model of a cultivated mushroom farm

Industrial production of edible mushrooms is now regarded as an independent agricultural industry not dependent on the seasonality of work inherent in most agricultural operations. Since agricultural production is characterized by high consumption of resources, cultivation and harvesting of mushroom produce are carried out by means of specialized technical and technological equipment, allowing one to provide the necessary microclimate conditions. These issues can be solved by using intensive technological resource-saving processes, which provide a sufficient level of production profitability. In this regard, there is a need to develop an economic-mathematical model able to simulate the process of the enterprise as an example. The study aims to develop a simulation model of a mushroom farm to improve the effectiveness of management decisions. The study employs the AnyLogic simulation instrument to create a model and test its accuracy with the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus oyster mushrooms. The authors develop a model of a farm for growing cultivated mushrooms and describe the created model, the algorithm of its operation, and the created interface. This model gives an idea about the optimal conditions for the cultivation of mushrooms and can be used for decision-making in techno-management complexes.

Continued Organic Fertigation after Basal Manure Application Does Not Impact Soil Fungal Communities, Tomato Yield or Soil Fertility.

There is currently a limited understanding of the complex response of fungal microbiota diversity to organic fertigation. In this work, a 2-year field trial with organic tomato crops in a soil previously amended with fresh sheep manure was conducted. Two hypotheses were compared: (i) fertigation with organic liquid fertilizers versus (ii) irrigation with water. At the end of both years, soils were analyzed for physical-chemical parameters and mycobiome variables. Plate culture and DNA metabarcoding methods were performed in order to obtain a detailed understanding of soil fungal communities. Fertigation did not increase any of the physical-chemical parameters. Concerning soil fungal communities, differences were only found regarding the identification of biomarkers. The class Leotiomycetes and the family Myxotrichaceae were identified as biomarkers in the soil fungal community analyzed by means of DNA metabarcoding of the "fertigation" treatment at the end of Year 1. The Mortierella genus was detected as a biomarker in the "water" treatment, and Mucor was identified in the "fertigation" treatment in the cultivable soil fungi at the end of Year 2. In both years, tomato yield and fruit quality did not consistently differ between treatments, despite the high cost of the fertilizers added through fertigation.

Culturable fungi from urban soils in China II, with the description of 18 novel species in Ascomycota (Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Leotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes).

As China's urbanisation continues to advance, more people are choosing to live in cities. However, this trend has a significant impact on the natural ecosystem. For instance, the accumulation of keratin-rich substrates in urban habitats has led to an increase in keratinophilic microbes. Despite this, there is still a limited amount of research on the prevalence of keratinophilic fungi in urban areas. Fortunately, our group has conducted in-depth investigations into this topic since 2015. Through our research, we have discovered a significant amount of keratinophilic fungi in soil samples collected from various urban areas in China. In this study, we have identified and characterised 18 new species through the integration of morphological and phylogenetic analyses. These findings reveal the presence of numerous unexplored fungal taxa in urban habitats, emphasising the need for further taxonomic research in urban China.

Genetic diversity of culturable fungi associated with scleractinian corals in the Gulf of Thailand

Abstract Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems. Diverse microbes are associated with corals, including zooxanthellae, protists, prokaryotes, and viruses. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of the culturable fungi associated with scleractinian corals in the Gulf of Thailand. Ribosomal DNA sequence analysis and morphological analysis of 130 fungal isolates revealed a high diversity of fungal phylotypes from three coral species: Pavona decussata, Pocillopora damicornis and Porites lutea. Ascomycota was the most abundant fungal phylum. The predominant orders included Eurotiales, Cladosporiales, Hypocreales, Mycosphaerellales, and Diaporthales. There were eight orders of the Basidiomycota dominated by Polyporales, Hymenochaetales, Agaricales, and Wallemiales. A principal component analysis was performed to compare abundance and correlation between the fungal communities, sampling locations and coral species. The results showed that the dissimilarity of fungal communities corresponded to geographic localities. On the other hand, there was a considerable overlap between the fungal communities of different coral species. The results from this research provide information on the diversity and ecology of the fungal communities associated with scleractinian corals in the Gulf of Thailand.

IoT-Based Oyster Mushroom Farming Monitoring System

This paper presents a study on the implementation of an IoT-based Oyster Mushroom Farming Monitoring System. The system aims to provide real-time monitoring and control of environmental conditions crucial for the successful cultivation of oyster mushrooms. Through the integration of IoT technologies, this system offers improved efficiency, productivity and profitability in the mushroom farming industry. The methodology involved the design and development of the system, followed by experimental testing and data presentation. The results indicate significant enhancements in crop yield and quality, validating the effectiveness of the proposed IoT solution. This study demonstrates the potential of IoT technologies in revolutionizing mushroom farming practices.

Endophytic fungal communities isolated from two genotypes of feijoa fruits (Feijoa sellowiana O. Berg.) and prospection of potential agents against anthracnose pathogens

Feijoa sellowiana (O. Berg) Burret is a tropical fruit from South America known as pineapple-guava or feijoa. Anthracnose is a fungal-caused disease that harms feijoa, and may completely reduce fruit production. The endophytic microbiota of feijoa fruits from native cultivars may provide new biocontrol agents against anthracnose. This work aimed to evaluate the diversity of endophytic cultivable fungi in feijoa fruits from two Brazilian native cultivars and verify potential agents against anthracnose pathogens: Colletotrichum nymphaeae and Colletotrichum siamense. The cultivable fungal diversity in feijoa fruits was assessed by fungi isolation, followed by fungal identification, through sequencing the ITS region of rDNA, and estimation of species abundance and frequency. Later, the antagonism of selected isolates was tested against Colletotrichum spp. by direct confrontation. Results demonstrated that isolated fungal communities slightly differed between the two cultivars. There was no difference in the Shannon index between the two cultivars. However, abundance and frequency of endophytes was respectively, 40% and 53% higher in the most resistant cultivar (Mattos), where Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma hamatum, Clonostachys rosea and Clonostachys rhizophaga were exclusively found. C. rosea and T. harzianum from cultivar 'Mattos', and Talaromices amestolkiae found in both cultivars ('Mattos' and 'Alcantara'), reduced mycelial growth and sporulation of Colletotrichum spp. Therefore, the endophytic cultivable community was slightly more abundant and rich in the most resistant cultivar of feijoa by encompassing more antagonistic species of fungi. This work also described for the first time the potential of endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents of feijoa pathogens.

Gardening at School for New Good Life: Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Education in the Public Schools in Nepal

Entrepreneurship skills are isolated from school science curricula in the context of Nepal. The study explores the students' engagement in the school garden for entrepreneurship resulting in sustainable education. It explicitly reconnoiters the interconnection between entrepreneurship skills through mushroom farming and the curricula of basic-level public schools. Also, the study explores the pedagogical approaches to contextualized teaching and learning for sustainable education for a new good life. A qualitative research design under the interpretivism paradigm with a purposive sampling technique was employed to select the schools and the research participants. Qualitative data were collected through eighteen in-depth interviews and nine focus group discussions and were analyzed using the Atlas-ti software. The study found that students, parents, and teachers actively engaged in mushroom farming in the school connected activities with curricula and enjoyed learning by earning. The contribution of this study chiefly lies in making a new good life through mushroom farming for economically backward parents. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education of Nepal’s government needs to formulate policies regarding entrepreneurship-based sustainable education in the context of school education in Nepal.

Exposure Levels of Airborne Fungi, Bacteria, and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Cotton Farms during Cotton Harvesting and Evaluations of N95 Respirators against These Bioaerosols.

The USA is the third-leading cotton-producing country worldwide and cotton farming is common in the state of Georgia. Cotton harvest can be a significant contributor to airborne microbial exposures to farmers and nearby rural communities. The use of respirators or masks is one of the viable options for reducing organic dust and bioaerosol exposures among farmers. Unfortunately, the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR Part 1910.134) does not apply to agricultural workplaces and the filtration efficiency of N95 respirators was never field-tested against airborne microorganisms and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during cotton harvesting. This study addressed these two information gaps. Airborne culturable microorganisms were sampled using an SAS Super 100 Air Sampler in three cotton farms during cotton harvesting, and colonies were counted and converted to airborne concentrations. Genomic DNA was extracted from air samples using a PowerSoil® DNA Isolation Kit. A series of comparative critical threshold (2-ΔΔCT) real-time PCR was used to quantify targeted bacterial (16S rRNA) genes and major ARGs. Two N95 facepiece respirator models (cup-shaped and pleated) were evaluated for their protection against culturable bacteria and fungi, total microbial load in terms of surface ATP levels, and ARGs using a field experimental setup. Overall, culturable microbial exposure levels ranged between 103 and 104 CFU/m3 during cotton harvesting, which was lower when compared with bioaerosol loads reported earlier during other types of grain harvesting. The findings suggested that cotton harvesting works can release antibiotic resistance genes in farm air and the highest abundance was observed for phenicol. Field experimental data suggested that tested N95 respirators did not provide desirable >95% protections against culturable microorganisms, the total microbial load, and ARGs during cotton harvesting.

Background concentrations of airborne, culturable fungi and dust particles in urban, rural and mountain regions

Geographic location and meteorological factors can affect the content of bioaerosol concentrations. This study was conducted to determine the natural background concentrations of culturable fungal spores and dust particles in three different geographical areas. Focus was given to the dominant airborne genera Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus and the species Aspergillus fumigatus. The influence of weather conditions on the microorganism concentrations in urban, rural and mountain regions were examined. Possible correlations between particle counts and culturable fungal spore concentrations were investigated.125 measurements of the air were conducted using the air sampler MAS–100NT® and the particle counter Alphasense OPC–N3. The analyses of the collected samples were based on culture methods using different media.The highest median of fungal spore concentrations was detected in the urban region and was of 2.0 × 103 CFU/m3 for xerophilic fungi and 1.7 × 103 CFU/m3 for the genus Cladosporium. The concentrations of fine and coarse particles in rural and urban regions were the highest of 1.9 × 107 pa/m3 and 1.3 × 107 pa/m3, respectively. Little cloud cover and slight wind had a positive influence on the concentration of fungal spores. Furthermore, correlations were observed between air temperature and the concentrations of xerophilic fungi as well as the genera Cladosporium. In contrast, relative humidity correlated negatively with total fungi and Cladosporium and no correlation was found with the other fungi. For the region of Styria in summer and early autumn, the natural background concentration for xerophilic fungi ranged between 3.5 × 102 and 4.7 × 103 CFU/m3 air. No significant differences were detected between the fungal spore concentrations in urban, rural and mountainous regions.The data of this study could be used as a reference to compare the natural background concentrations of airborne culturable fungi in further studies concerning air quality assessment.

THE TRAINING IN TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT UTILIZATION FOR THE OYSTER MUSHROOM CULTIVATION BUSINESS AT PONGANGAN GUNUNGPATI

Oyster mushroom farming is a business practice for six SMEs in the Pongangan Gunungpati region. The fact that the production tools still in use are basic presents one of the main challenges to oyster mushroom cultivation. The production scale for fresh oyster mushrooms is still quite limited, and it has not been able to satisfy market demand. Additionally, production standards and good crop management have not been adopted. Among MSME members, production management and marketing management are still conducted independently, so that the circulation of fresh mushroom production and marketing is not optimal. Changes in climate and seasons are difficult to foresee and have a propensity to occur, and the popular perception that mushroom cultivation is difficult and can only be done in the highlands contributes to the low level of interest in mushroom farming. The inability of mushroom farmers to condition the mushroom house in accordance with applicable regulations and the absence of technology capable of maintaining stable temperature and humidity in the mushroom house area. Currently, mushroom growers in the Pongangan subdistrict still utilize a rudimentary irrigation mechanism and manually water their crops each morning and evening. The objective of the performed service activities is to use appropriate technology to condition the air’s temperature and humidity to match the natural circumstances of oyster mushrooms.

Culturable Airborne Fungi in Downtown Monterrey (Mexico) and Their Correlation with Air Pollution over a 12-Month Period

Biological and non-biological aerosols are always present. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for seven million deaths every year. The dynamics of airborne fungi and their association with air pollutants over time show mixed results. In this study, we sampled 50 L of air daily for a period of 12 months (February 2022–January 2023) in downtown Monterrey, Mexico to evaluate the presence of culturable fungi. May, October, November, and December were the months with the highest concentration of fungi with a significant difference from the rest of the months. Cladosporium was the predominant fungus in the air for every month except for September. Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium followed Cladosporium as the genera with the highest concentration. PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 were the most abundant pollutants, with levels above the recommended guidelines in practically every month studied. Cladosporium was the only fungus showing an inverse correlation with PM10 and PM2.5 in February, April, and May. It also showed an inverse correlation with NO, NO2, and NOx in February, March, and April. Aspergillus, Alternaria, Fusarium, and Penicillium had mixed correlations with pollutants. Yeasts showed no correlation with PM10 or PM2.5 but showed inverse correlations with nitrogen-based pollutants.

On-site investigation of the concentrations and size distributions of bioaerosols in the underground garages

Bioaerosol concentrations and sizes in indoor environment are associated with human health. Among various indoor environments, the knowledge of the bioaerosol characteristics in underground garages remains unclear. In this study, both DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining and culturable methods were performed to determine the concentrations and size distributions of bioaerosols in two typical underground garages (an office building (UBOB) and a commercial building (UBCB)) in Xi'an, China. Results indicated that bioaerosol concentrations showed seasonal variations in two garages. The total bioaerosol concentrations were higher in summer (UBOB: (1.07 ± 0.29) ✕105 cells/m3; UBCB: (0.59 ± 0.23) ✕105 cells/m3) than winter (UBOB: (0.34 ± 0.17) ✕105 cells/m3; UGCB: (0.38 ± 0.15)✕105 cells/m3). Higher concentrations of bioaerosols were also found during the rush hour than other times due to the elevated traffic volumes. The spatial distribution of bioaerosols was relatively even for most sampling sites in two garages. Moreover, over 80% of airborne culturable fungi and over 65% of airborne culturable bacteria were in respirable size range (<4.7 μm). Importantly, airborne culturable fungal concentrations in two garages exceeded the proposed thresholds by the World Health Organization (WHO) (500 CFU/m3), with the exceeding standard rate (ESR) of 80.28% and 82.60%, respectively, at UGOB and UGCB, implying that necessary control measures should be taken to reduce microorganism contamination in the air of underground garages. The present results may provide the scientific basis for better understanding pollution characteristics of bioaerosols and formulating prevention and control measures in underground garages.

Vitamin D Content in Commonly Consumed Mushrooms in Thailand and Its True Retention after Household Cooking.

This study investigated the vitamin D level of nine species of cultivated mushrooms and three species of wild mushrooms commonly consumed in Thailand and the effect of cooking on their vitamin D content. Cultivated mushrooms were obtained from three wholesale markets, while wild mushrooms were collected from three trails in a conservation area. Mushrooms from each source were separated into four groups: raw, boiled, stir-fried, and grilled. Different forms of vitamin D were analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The analyzed method demonstrated good linearity, accuracy, and precision, as well as being low in the limit of detection and limit of quantitation. Results showed that vitamin D2 and ergosterol (provitamin D2) were the major forms of vitamin D found in the mushrooms. Both raw cultivated and wild mushrooms had wide ranging ergosterol contents (7713-17,273 μg/100 g edible portion, EP). Lung oyster mushroom and termite mushroom contained high levels of vitamin D2 (15.88 ± 7.31 and 7.15 ± 0.67 μg/100 g EP, respectively), while other mushroom species had negligible amounts (0.06 to 2.31 μg per 100 g EP). True retention (TR) levels of vitamin D2 after boiling, stir-frying, and grilling were not significantly different (p > 0.05) (with estimated marginal means ± standard error 64.0 ± 2.3%, 58.8 ± 2.3%, and 64.7 ± 3.6% TR, respectively). Consuming cooked lung oyster mushrooms, in particular, along with regular exposure to sunlight should be promoted to reduce the incidence of vitamin D deficiency.