Importance and recent aspects of fungi-based food ingredients

Abstract Fungi act as a source of food, and many food ingredients are synthesized by fungi, including proteins, carotenoids, and others. Fungi have been exploited for their potential to ferment fruits and grains for the production of alcoholic beverages, bread, and cheese. Fungi and their components are used not only as food but they are also used in industries and pharmaceuticals. Bioprocess techniques were used for the production of acid using fungal sources. Certain advancements like the selection of nontoxic fungal species, enhanced knowledge of nutritional requirements, regulation of biosynthetic compounds at the molecular level, and genetic engineering have raised interest and led to the production of safe food-grade fermented food products with high yields.