# The Role of Fungi in Food Production and Processing
## 1 Introduction  
### Overview of the Significance of Fungi in the Context of Food Microbiology and Processing  
The fungal kingdom represents an extraordinary diversity of organisms with profound impacts across animal and plant species and ecosystem health. The growth and metabolic activity of fungi can have different effects. On the one hand, fungi form beneficial symbolises with plants, leading to the production of valuable materials like food, and on the other hand, they are the main factors contributing to changes such as food spoilage, decay, and toxin formation. Despite these dual roles, humans have comprehended the utility of fungi in their everyday life and are utilizing them for various purposes. For many years, fungi and fungal by-products have been extensively used in the area of food science. They are either consumed directly or used as additives to facilitate further food-processing techniques for producing specific food products. Fungi are utilized in food biotechnology as mushrooms, fermentative yeasts, and filamentous fungi, and they are known for their rich nutritional profile, thus contributing to cost savings within the food industry. Manufacturing of food and large-scale production of higher-quality products with the use of fungi is cheaper and easier, resulting in an increase in cultivation just to meet the demands of consumers during recent years. Fungi not only serve as a source of food but also have various value-added applications [1]. The prevalent reasons for employing fungi as substitute proteins stemfrom their enhanced resource utilization efficiencies [2; 3], full complement of amino acids and additional nutritional advantages [3; 4; 5]. Fungi may constitute a source of biomass and secondary metabolites, and they can be genetically manipulated in order to create products possessing specific properties with great impact in the food industry [6; 7; 8; 9]. In addition to the previously listed applications of fungi, it is worth noting their capability to release valuable enzymes during their metabolic activities, which are of considerable value for the production of specific food items. These enzymes serve numerous functions in food production. Fungal lipases are employed to improve the taste of dairy products such as cheese and butter and to eliminate fat found in fish and meat [10]. Another enzyme used in the food industry is pectinase, which is derived from the fungi _Aspergillus niger_. The primary application of these enzymes lies in the extraction of fruit juices from the fruit pulp, followed by the subsequent clarification process [11]. Furthermore, proteases obtained from fungal sources have been recognized for their significant contribution to brewing and the preparation of baked food products [12]. Other fungal enzymes, which are employed in various food techniques, are lactases, hemicellulases, pullulanases, glucanases, \(\alpha\)-amylases, and \(\beta\)-amylases [13]. Apart from the manufacture of the desired products, fungi also play a role in upholding the quality and safety of food products and contribute to environmental integrity. Strains of fungi are used to produce antibiotics that can be used to control bacterial growth in food products and participate in food preservation. Recent studies indicated that some strains of fungi are involved in the biodegradation of food waste, which is important for environmental sustainability. They also help in converting food by-products into usable forms, thereby reducing waste [14]. Mushrooms (macroftungi) are typically cultivated on a large scale in industrial settings. Numerous studies demonstrate that mushrooms have the potential to serve as an adjunct in the promotion of advantageous health effects. These fungi are renowned for their elevated protein content and abundance of antioxidants, vitamins, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and minerals [15]. Additionally, it is noteworthy that mushrooms also contain lower cholesterol, fat, and caloric value.