The development of edible coatings incorporating bioextracts from mushrooms native to Portuguese forests aims to enhance the value of the endogenous forest and mycological resources by harnessing their potential as a source of antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds. Edible coatings represent an important pathway to decreasing food waste and contributing to implementing a circular bioeconomy. The coating should result in product valorization through improved preservation/conservation, increased shelf life, as well as enhancement of its antioxidant and enzymatic properties. To evaluate the effectiveness of an edible coating on fungal food matrices, a 14-day shelf-life study was conducted, wherein both coated and untreated mushrooms were examined under controlled storage temperatures of 4 °C and 9.3 °C. Agaricus bisporus was chosen as the food matrix for its bioeconomy significance, and Pleurotus eryngii was selected for the preparation of the food-based coating due to its profile of bioactive compounds. Microbiological analysis and physicochemical monitoring were conducted on the food matrices and the coating. Coated mushrooms had less mass loss and color change, and had better texture after 14 days. Microbiological analysis revealed that the coating had no antimicrobial activity. Overall, the coating improved the shelf life of the coated mushrooms but had less effect on the microbial community.

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are a group of biosurfactants with a wide range of potential applications, due to their excellent tensioactive properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. One of the envisioned uses for MELs is in bioremediation in marine and terrestrial environments. However, knowledge regarding their ecotoxicity is limited. The current costs of production for this biosurfactant are too high to make it competitive in the surfactant market. In an effort to facilitate the use of MELs for marine bioremediation purposes, their production using sea water in medium formulation was explored. Cells were exposed to different levels of NaCl during fermentation, and the effects of increased salinity on the cells and their performance was monitored. In addition, cells were briefly exposed to an osmotic shock, by introducing pure NaCl into the broth, to measure their physiological response. Although the overall effect of NaCl in the medium was negative, cells produced more lipases in these stress conditions. Furthermore, the changes triggered by the osmotic shock caused changes in the cell surface and affected their hydrophobicity, reducing the levels of MELs adsorbed to the cells, which in turn led to an increase in formation of MEL-rich beads. Marine-level salinity (3.5%) was found to be sufficient to enable production of MELs in unsterile conditions and inhibited an introduced bacterial contaminant. Finally, the toxicity levels of MELs to a model marine organism and plant model were lower than other biosurfactants and that of a commercial chemical dispersant used for bioremediation.

Stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) has received limited attention in terms of genetic research. However, genomic techniques hold promise for decoding the stone pine genome and contributing to developing a more resilient bioeconomy. Retrotransposon and specific genetic markers are effective tools for determining population-specific genomic diversity. Studies on the transcriptome and proteome have identified differentially expressed genes PAS1, CLV1, ATAF1, and ACBF involved in shoot bud formation. The stone pine proteome shows variation among populations and shows the industrial potential of the enzyme pinosylvin. Microsatellite studies have revealed low levels of polymorphism and a unique genetic diversity in stone pine, which may contribute to its environmental adaptation. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses uncover the genetic and molecular responses of stone pine to fungal infections and nematode infestations, elucidating the defense activation, gene regulation, and the potential role of terpenes in pathogen resistance. Transcriptomics associated with carbohydrate metabolism, dehydrins, and transcription factors show promise as targets for improving stone pine’s drought stress response and water retention capabilities. Stone pine presents itself as an important model tree for studying climate change adaptation due to its characteristics. While knowledge gaps exist, stone pine’s genetic resources hold significant potential, and ongoing advancements in techniques offer prospects for future exploration.