ECONOMIC

IMPORTANCE OF FUNGI
By-
ANMOL PATEL
IX – A 2
ATUL VIDYALAYA SHAPING THE FUTURE
 INTRODUCTION
• According to the recent five kingdom
classification the fungi are not
considered as plants.
Reasons
-they have no chlorophyll.
-the mode of nutrition in them is

heterotrophic instead of autotrophic

 TYPES OF
FUNGI
• MOULDS • YEAST
 MOULDS
• The cotton-like mass grown on fruits,
animal dung, leather goods or bread in
a warm and humid climate is known as
a mould.
e.g. Mucor, Rhizopus
Contd.
• General Structure-
• They have a network of transparent
structures called as hyphae.
• The entire mass of such threads is called
as mycelin.
• Nutrition - They obtain their food from
the substratum on which they grow.
• Respiration - they acquire aerobic
respiration.
Contd.
• Reproduction in moulds is both asexual
and sexual.
• Asexual reproduction in moulds occurs by
the method of columella.
• Sexual reproduction in moulds occurs by
the method of conjugation.
 YEAST
• General Structure-
• it is ovoid in shape.
• Cell wall and nucleus with normal
nucleolus are present.
• 1 or more vacuoles.
• Granular cytoplasm also containing
glycogen and oil lobes.
Contd.
• Nutrition-they depend upon sugars like
sucrose, fructose and glucose.
• Respiration- they respire anaerobically.
• Reproduction in yeast is also sexual as
well as asexual.
• Asexual reproduction in yeast occurs by
the method of budding.
• Sexual reproduction in yeast also occur by
the method of conjugation.
USEFUL & HARMFUL EFFECTS
OF FUNGI
Useful effects Harmful effects
• Fungi species of • Many fungi cause
Penicillium are used damage to forest
in flavouring of fine trees.
flavoured cheese. • The spoil food.
• Penicillium notatum Penicillium and
is most notable as Aspergillus grow on
the source of the citrus fruits that
first wonder drug cause diseases like
antibiotic penicillin. ringworm.
ROLE OF FUNGI IN MEDICINE
• The first antibiotic was penicillin
produced by a mould.
 FUNGI –
ROLE IN
INDUSTRY
• They have a very extensive use in industry.
 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
• Fermentation is the process in which
the micro-organisms break down
carbohydrates into simpler products in
the absence of oxygen.
• Wine and other alcoholic beverages like
beer are the products.
• Biochemical reaction-
C6H12O6  2C2H5OH + CO2
CHARACTERISTICS OF WINE
• It is quickly absorbed into body.
• If it is consumed in large quantities it is
harmful in many ways.
• It may develop body ailments,
particularly liver cirrhosis.
 BAKING
• In baking mixture of flour, some fat (malai),
salt and water are required to make the
dough, the starch of the flour gets converted
to sugar.
• When yeast is added, it ferments sugar
producing carbon dioxide and the volume of
the dough increases three times its original
volume.
• During the baking process gas bubbles
expand giving the bread a spongy texture.
 CHEESE
• The manufacturing of cheese includes
the following major steps-
• Curdling of milk by the addition of
lactobacillus curd is separated from whey.
• Curd is processes to remove moisture.
• Salting - this further removes moisture,
and prevents growth of undesirable micro-
organisms.
• Ripening – Curd is kept at suitable
temperature and humidity. impart particular
favours to the cheese.
 MUSHROOM CULTIVATION
• Mushroom is a fungal body which
produces and releases spores.
• At present, three species of
mushrooms are widely cultivated
worldwide:-
1. White button mushroom / Agaricus
bisporous.
2. Paddy straw mushroom / Volvariella
3. Oyster mushroom / Pleurotus
 Contd.
• The white button mushroom is most popular variety
grown in India.
• It includes the following steps-’
• Composting-the compost is prepared by mixing wheat or
paddy straw, chicken manure, organic as well as inorganic
fertilizer in certain properties.
• Spawning-mushroom seed is introduced to the compost.
• Casting-A thin soil layer is spread over the compost to
• Provide support to the mushroom.
• Provide humidity.
• Prevent quick drying of the compost.
• Help in regulating temperature.
Contd.
• Cropping and harvesting- the growth
occurs in three stages:
• Mycelium grows within 2 to 6 weeks.
• Tiny pin heads.
• Button stage which grows bigger attaining
marketable size.
The full grown mushrooms are taken out.
• Preservation – mushrooms are highly
perishable.
Contd.
• Nutritive value of mushrooms-
• They are rich sources of vitamins and
minerals.
• The contain good amount of niacin,
pantothenic acid and biotin.
• Fresh mushrooms contain
• 85-95% moisture
• 3% protein
• 4% carbohydrate
• 0.3-0.4% fat
• 1% minerals and vitamins
PRESERVATION OF FOOD
• Many fungi spoil cooked food, milk,
fruits, vegetables etc, by the process
of fermentation.
• So, it is necessary to preserve food by
the following methods-
1. Boiling or heating at high temperatures
2. Salting
3. Dehydration
4. Irradiation
5. Pasteurization
6. Refrigeration
7. Strong concentration and chemicals
 BOILING(STERILIZATION)
• Boiling of water kills fungi.
• Higher temperatures (about
o
110 C) at increased
pressure also kills spores.
• The canning industry
utilizes this method to kill
fungi before packing and
sealing food.
 SALTING
• Salting is a method of
preserving foods like fish,
pickle etc.
• By mixing such foods with
salt their biodegradation
is prevented under
normal condition.
• This method is also called
as curing.
 DEHYDRATION
• Most microbes cannot
grow without water.
• So, by drying foods such
as grains, meat, fish etc.
we can preserve them.
 IRRADIATION
• Radioactive radiation has
been tried in sterilizing
certain foods.
• Similarly, U.V. light is used
in sterilizing air in
hospitals, factories and
schools. It is also used to
kill mould in bakeries.
 PASTEURIZATION
• Pasteurization is a technique
of partial sterilization applied
usually to milk.
• This process kills a majority
of bacteria that are present,
including the disease-causing
ones.
• Milk is heated up to a
o
temperature of 60 C for a
period of 30 minutes and then
chilled quickly.
 REFRIGERATION
• Microbes do not grow or
multiply at or below the
freezing point of water.
• Chilling of foods in a cold
storage is a popular
method of preserving
them.
 STRONG CONCENTRATION AND
CHEMICALS
• Increased concentration of
solutes kills bacteria or mould.
• So, jams and pickles do not
get spoiled. They have strong
concentration of sugar and
salt.