Preparation of "mycelium pulp" from mushroom fruiting bodies

In this study, we developed a new method to extract mycelial fibers from the fruiting bodies of mushrooms without destroying their structure. After chemical treatment with NaOH and H₂O₂, the fruiting bodies were decolorized via an environmentally friendly method using sunlight irradiation. The visible light reflectance of decolorized fruiting bodies was more than 80%. Ultrasonic treatment was used to defibrillate the fruiting bodies at the mycelial level, and a white micrometer-sized dispersion of mycelial fibers (mycelium pulp) was obtained. The mycelium retained its structure, demonstrating a thick linear mycelium pulp (width: 8.0 ± 3.4 μm) in Flammulina velutipes and a thin branched mycelium pulp (width: 2.3 ± 0.6 μm) in Ganoderma lucidum. The mycelium pulp is a completely new material that maintains its mycelial structure, unlike previously reported materials derived from fruiting bodies. The mycelium pulp demonstrates excellent deformability and can be used to create one- to three-dimensional deformable products, showing a wide range of material applicability.