Vietnam's agri-food sector produces 1.64 million tons of byproducts yearly and contributes almost 26% of the country's GDP in 2023. A very small portion of this waste was turned into compost, with the majority being disposed of as waste in the environment. However, there has not been much done in the way of research or technical applications to utilize this residue up to this point. Hence, this study investigated the effect of solid-state fermentation with Pleurotus citrinopileatus mycelia on polysaccharide (PS) and protein contents, antioxidant properties, probiotic growth stimulation, pathogenic inhibition, and bio-physicochemical properties of extracts from culture medium before and after fermentation was investigated. The findings indicated that when cassava (CASS) residue and okara are mixed in a 1:1 ratio, the mycelium develops swiftly uniform, even white, very thick, and high density. The total protein, ash, and PS contents from this fermented mixture were raised by 65.12%, 70%, and 57.24%, respectively. The PS extract inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with sterile ring diameters of 3.47 ± 0.38 and 3.06 ± 0.27 cm, respectively; stimulated the growth of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum with a colony density of 9.34 logCFU/ml after 24 hours of culture; and increased antioxidant capacity with IC50 = 3,287.62 g/ml. Heavy metals content, bacteria, yeasts, and mold levels were all lower than the allowable thresholds as recommended for animal feed purposes. The results show that P. citrinopileatus mycelium can ferment CASS residue and okara to produce a safe and nutritious source of animal feed supplements. This offers a viable approach for enhancing the added value of agricultural residue. Thus, more research is required to assess the financial viability of using fermented substrates produced by oyster mycelium as an additional feed source for animals. Researchers can also concentrate on conducting additional studies on the safety, use, and biological activity of the isolated PS fractions in the functional food sector.

This investigation involved the addition of Trametes versicolor mycelium to Pleurotus ostreatus extract, which was subsequently fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum to improve the quality of the fermented beverage. The concentration of total dissolved solids (^oBrix) generally diminishes with prolonged fermentation time, whereas it increases with the addition of T. versicolor mycelium. The pH values markedly decreased after 12 h, thereafter stabilizing after 24 and 48 h of fermentation, oscillating between 3.04 and 3.32. The total acid content (TAC) escalated in direct correlation with the mycelium ratio and fermentation length, with TAC values spanning from 6.617 to 10.678 g/L at a 1.0% mycelium addition. The ABTS+ antioxidant capacity ascended in direct correlation with the quantity of T. versicolor mycelium incorporated, attaining values of 58.13%, 49.63%, and 48.44% after 12, 24, and 48 h in CT6, respectively. Nonetheless, this ability exhibited a progressive decline over the fermenting period. The addition of T. versicolor mycelium effectively stimulated the proliferation of L. plantarum WCFS1, achieving a high cell density in the treatment supplemented 0.6% T. versicolor mycelium (CT4) after 12, 24, and 48 h of fermentation. The capacity of inhibiting harmful bacteria was maximized with the addition of 1.0% mycelium, resulting in an inhibition zone width of 13.42 mm for Escherichia coli ATCC 85922 after 48 h and 16.65 mm for Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25023 after 24 h of fermentation. The fermented beverage had the greatest sensory score with the addition of 0.6% mycelium after 24 h of fermentation. The findings revealed significant potential for the manufacture of natural-based functional beverage industry.

Phyla nodiflora is a valuable medicinal plant growing in coastal areas, hypothesizing its adaptability to salinity; however, it has not been investigated. This study, for the first time, elucidated responses in the growth of the shoots and its physiology to different soil salinity of 50–400 mM NaCl. The data showed that the shoot’s dry biomass was not affected by the salinity levels up to 100 mM, and it only decreased 33.50–56.33% compared to the control under 200–400 mM NaCl, indicating that P. nodiflora is a salt-tolerant plant that could survive under high salinity. In addition, the plant also had physiological responses which indicated its salt-induced injuries and adaptation to the salt stress. The chlorophyll a content was increased while the chlorophyll b remained unchanged under the salt stress. The proline and salt accumulation increased under the salinity, but the K⁺ and NO₃⁻ accumulation decreased. Moreover, increases in malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage were observed, indicating salt-induced membrane damages. These responses suggested that the plant might evolve adaptive mechanisms to salinity. Our findings are useful information for further research in order to elucidate the salt-tolerant mechanisms and develop this plant for saline agriculture.