Prebiotics and Their Production From Unconventional Raw Materials (Mushrooms)

Abstract

Mushrooms are the fruiting body of heterotrophic macrofungi which have long been used for both food and medicine. Mushrooms have been studied extensively for improving and maintaining human health and show promise as a source of prebiotics. Mushrooms are rich in prebiotic compounds as they contain carbohydrates like chitin, hemicelluloses, beta and alpha glucans, mannans, xylans, lingocellulose, and galactans. Polysaccharides such as ß-(1. →. 3)- d-glucans are well-known prebiotics and the most potent mushroom derived substance. Such polysaccharides and their complexes with protein/peptides are known to be modifiers of biological responses. They contribute significantly to the body's defense systems by exhibiting immunomodulatory and antitumor activities through the action of immune effecter cells such as dendritic cells (DCs), hematopoietic stem cells, lymphocytes, macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells and T cells. Additionally, other medicinal properties of mushrooms include antioxidant, anticancer, antiinflammatory, cardiovascular, antimicrobial, and antidiabetic characteristics. This paper highlights the information related to prebiotics and nutraceutical values of bioactive substances from mushrooms, an inexpensive and abundant source, for developing new and potential prebiotic(s). © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.