Effect of Olive Oil Mill Waste Waters on the Edible and Medicinal Mushroom Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing. Growth and Lignin Degrading Enzymes.

The olive oil mill waste waters (OMW) are byproducts of olive oil industries and represent a pollution problem in all Mediterranean countries, as they are rich of phenols and other organic matter. Among the other compounds, the OMW contain small amounts of lipids (about 2% dry weight), mostly represented by oleic and palmitic acids, which could stimulate fungal growth. The effect of OMW on Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing. growth and production of laccase and Mn-peroxidase on liquid and solid cultures media was tested in the studies described in this article. The results showed that OMW are efficient as supply that enhances fungal growth without interfering with the ligninolytic enzyme production and lignin breakdown. The high OMW concentration (50% v/v) on wheat straw did stimulate mycelia growth but resulted in slight inhibition of fruiting body formation, whereas the lower concentration (25% v/v) enhanced both mycelia growth and fruiting body production. From the results obtained OMW could represent a good nutritional source to improve fungal development and their utilization in mushroom production could be an efficient strategy to solve the pollution problem related to OMW.