Macromycete Edible Fungi as a Functional Poultry Feed Additive: Influence on Health, Welfare, Eggs, and Meat Quality—Review

Over the years, macromycete fungi have been used as a source of food, part of religious rites and rituals, and as a medicinal remedy. Species with strong health-promoting potential include <i>Hericium erinaceus</i>, <i>Cordyceps militaris</i>, <i>Ganoderma lucidum</i...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Damian Duda, Klaudia Jaszcza, Emilia Bernaś
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-08-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/15/3241
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849770530668806144
author Damian Duda
Klaudia Jaszcza
Emilia Bernaś
author_facet Damian Duda
Klaudia Jaszcza
Emilia Bernaś
author_sort Damian Duda
collection DOAJ
description Over the years, macromycete fungi have been used as a source of food, part of religious rites and rituals, and as a medicinal remedy. Species with strong health-promoting potential include <i>Hericium erinaceus</i>, <i>Cordyceps militaris</i>, <i>Ganoderma lucidum</i>, <i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i>, <i>Flammulina velutipes</i>, and <i>Inonotus obliquus</i>. These species contain many bioactive compounds, including β-glucans, endo- and exogenous amino acids, polyphenols, terpenoids, sterols, B vitamins, minerals, and lovastatin. The level of some biologically active substances is species-specific, e.g., hericenones and erinacines, which have neuroprotective properties, and supporting the production of nerve growth factor in the brain for <i>Hericium erinaceus</i>. Due to their high health-promoting potential, mushrooms and substances isolated from them have found applications in livestock nutrition, improving their welfare and productivity. This phenomenon may be of particular importance in the nutrition of laying hens and broiler chickens, where an increase in pathogen resistance to antibiotics has been observed in recent years. <i>Gallus gallus domesticus</i> is a key farm animal for meat and egg production, so the search for new compounds to support bird health is important for food safety. Studies conducted to date indicate that feed supplementation with mushrooms has a beneficial effect on, among other things, bird weight gain; bone mineralisation; and meat and egg quality, including the lipid profile and protein content and shell thickness, and promotes the development of beneficial microbiota, thereby increasing immunity.
format Article
id doaj-art-ae072ada82df48b39f7f4977e033c86e
institution DOAJ
issn 1420-3049
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-ae072ada82df48b39f7f4977e033c86e2025-08-20T03:02:58ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-08-013015324110.3390/molecules30153241Macromycete Edible Fungi as a Functional Poultry Feed Additive: Influence on Health, Welfare, Eggs, and Meat Quality—ReviewDamian Duda0Klaudia Jaszcza1Emilia Bernaś2Department of Animal Physiology and Endocrinology, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Krakow, PolandDepartment of Animal Physiology and Endocrinology, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Krakow, PolandDepartment of Plant Products Technology and Nutrition Hygiene, Faculty of Food Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 122 Balicka, 30-149 Krakow, PolandOver the years, macromycete fungi have been used as a source of food, part of religious rites and rituals, and as a medicinal remedy. Species with strong health-promoting potential include <i>Hericium erinaceus</i>, <i>Cordyceps militaris</i>, <i>Ganoderma lucidum</i>, <i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i>, <i>Flammulina velutipes</i>, and <i>Inonotus obliquus</i>. These species contain many bioactive compounds, including β-glucans, endo- and exogenous amino acids, polyphenols, terpenoids, sterols, B vitamins, minerals, and lovastatin. The level of some biologically active substances is species-specific, e.g., hericenones and erinacines, which have neuroprotective properties, and supporting the production of nerve growth factor in the brain for <i>Hericium erinaceus</i>. Due to their high health-promoting potential, mushrooms and substances isolated from them have found applications in livestock nutrition, improving their welfare and productivity. This phenomenon may be of particular importance in the nutrition of laying hens and broiler chickens, where an increase in pathogen resistance to antibiotics has been observed in recent years. <i>Gallus gallus domesticus</i> is a key farm animal for meat and egg production, so the search for new compounds to support bird health is important for food safety. Studies conducted to date indicate that feed supplementation with mushrooms has a beneficial effect on, among other things, bird weight gain; bone mineralisation; and meat and egg quality, including the lipid profile and protein content and shell thickness, and promotes the development of beneficial microbiota, thereby increasing immunity.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/15/3241mushroomspoultryfeednutritionmeat and egg quality
spellingShingle Damian Duda
Klaudia Jaszcza
Emilia Bernaś
Macromycete Edible Fungi as a Functional Poultry Feed Additive: Influence on Health, Welfare, Eggs, and Meat Quality—Review
Molecules
mushrooms
poultry
feed
nutrition
meat and egg quality
title Macromycete Edible Fungi as a Functional Poultry Feed Additive: Influence on Health, Welfare, Eggs, and Meat Quality—Review
title_full Macromycete Edible Fungi as a Functional Poultry Feed Additive: Influence on Health, Welfare, Eggs, and Meat Quality—Review
title_fullStr Macromycete Edible Fungi as a Functional Poultry Feed Additive: Influence on Health, Welfare, Eggs, and Meat Quality—Review
title_full_unstemmed Macromycete Edible Fungi as a Functional Poultry Feed Additive: Influence on Health, Welfare, Eggs, and Meat Quality—Review
title_short Macromycete Edible Fungi as a Functional Poultry Feed Additive: Influence on Health, Welfare, Eggs, and Meat Quality—Review
title_sort macromycete edible fungi as a functional poultry feed additive influence on health welfare eggs and meat quality review
topic mushrooms
poultry
feed
nutrition
meat and egg quality
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/15/3241
work_keys_str_mv AT damianduda macromyceteediblefungiasafunctionalpoultryfeedadditiveinfluenceonhealthwelfareeggsandmeatqualityreview
AT klaudiajaszcza macromyceteediblefungiasafunctionalpoultryfeedadditiveinfluenceonhealthwelfareeggsandmeatqualityreview
AT emiliabernas macromyceteediblefungiasafunctionalpoultryfeedadditiveinfluenceonhealthwelfareeggsandmeatqualityreview