Fungal Additives and Bioactives in Food Processing Industries: Challenges and Prospects (Fungal Biology)

"Fungal Additives and Bioactives in Food Processing Industries: Challenges and Prospects" provides a comprehensive exploration of fungal bioactives and additives within the realm of food processing industries. Currently, industries’ reliance on synthetic ingredients to combat food-borne pathogens during food processing has raised concerns due to their adverse effects on human health. This book comprehensively investigates how fungal additives and metabolites can offer a natural alternative with minimal health and environmental repercussions, thereby enhancing sustainability practices within the industry.

Fungi and their associated bio-products have emerged as pivotal players in food processing industries, showcasing their efficacy in not only curbing postharvest losses but also serving as natural preservatives. Recognizing the urgent imperative to tap into the untapped potential of fungi to align with Sustainable Development Goals, this book sheds light on the diverse applications of fungal bioactives, encompassing polysaccharides, flavonoids, peptides/proteins, natural colorants, and polyunsaturated fatty acids within the food sector.

The book delves into various aspects including the role of fungal metabolites in pharmaceuticals for human disease prevention, their impact on agriculture, and their significance in enhancing foodprocessing practices. It also discusses the utilization of natural colorants and pigments derived from fungal metabolites, as well as fungal enzymes for dough fermentation, cheese ripening, and brewing. Furthermore, the book unveils the intriguing potential of fungal endophytes as a rich source of novel bioactive compounds, paving the way for innovative advancements in multiple industries. By amalgamating knowledge-sharing contributors from microbiology, biotechnology, and food science disciplines, this book caters to a diverse audience ranging from researchers, students, young entrepreneurs and industry professionals to policymakers, offering a roadmap to harness the transformative power of fungal-based bioactives and additives. Targeting the untapped potential of fungal-derived compounds, this book will inspire further research and development efforts aimed at revolutionizing the way we approach food production and consumption in the 21st century.

Bhim Pratap Singh is a professor and Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), an Institute of National Importance (INI) under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India. Dr. Singh has more than 17 years of teaching experience in the field of applied microbiology, and he teaches both postgraduate and doctoral students. Dr. Singh has authored more than 100 research papers and book chapters in journals and books of international repute. Dr. Singh edited nine (09) books published by Springer and Elsevier. He is a member of the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), the Asian PGPR Society for Sustainable Agriculture, the Mushroom Society of India (MSI), and the Indian Science Congress (ISC). He received several prestigious awards from agencies such as DST, New Delhi and other agencies in the field of Microbial Diversity. Dr Singh has served as a guest editor in many journals like Frontiers in Microbiology, Biology-MDPI, Journal of Fungi-MDPI, Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, etc. His major research areas are in postharvest disease management using natural agents and improving the shelf life of fresh commodities to reduce food loss happening during the food supply chain.

Shekhar Agnihotri Ph.D. (Nanotechnology) is currently working as an Assistant Professor at National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Sonepat (Haryana) under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI), Government of India. With a unique blend of science and engineering disciplines, Dr. Shekhar comes with two postgraduate degrees, MS (Biochemistry) and M.Tech (Biochemical Engineering) from IIT-BHU and has worked in a joint collaborative research at IIT Kanpur. Later he completed his PhD in Nanotechnology from IIT Bombay receiving the prestigious IIT-B Excellence Award for Best PhD thesis. Dr. Shekhar is the recipient of DST young scientist award, Indo-Japan Young Fellowship Award, Gold access award (Royal Society of Chemistry, UK), and TIET Best Performer Award. His expertise lies in the area of nano-biotechnology, bioprocess engineering and enzyme technology and has published in high impact factor journals. Dr. Shekhar pursues interests in integrating immobilized enzymes and nano-supports for generating value-added products from agro-waste, novel packaging and smart sensing technologies.

Harinder Singh Oberoi is currently holding the position of Director, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), an Institute of National Importance (INI) under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India.  Dr. Oberoi completed his Doctorate in Microbiology from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India, and Post-Doc in Bioprocessing and Value Addition from Kansas State University, Kansas, USA, with diverse exposure to different aspects of Post-Harvest Technology. He has over 28 years of experience working with the food and beverage industry, including big conglomerates, Govt R&D, and academia in post harvest management, value addition, food processing, food safety, fermentation, and biovalorization. Dr Oberoi is a recipient of several national and international awards. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) and the National Academy of Biological Sciences (NABS). He has published over 100 research articles in high-impact factor journals in the field of fermentation technology, bioprocessing and food safety.