A team of researchers have been granted €4.1 million to research biological growth substrate alternatives for the cultivation of mushrooms. The project is led by the Professional Association of Substrate and Mushroom Producers in the region of La Rioja, Spain. In addition, researchers from the Netherlands, UK, Belgium, Poland, and Serbia will partake in the Bioschamp project.
The team has been given a 4-year deadline to come up with a commercial alternative that can help overcome the challenges of planting mushrooms.
The mushroom industry plays a pivotal role in the European Union's agri-food sector. Mushrooms provide nutritional benefits as it is low in calories, high in vitamin D content, and is a great plant alternative to animal protein. In 2017, the mushroom industry was valued at 33,000 million euro in the EU and projections suggested it could reach up to 66.8 billion euro in 2026.