METHOD FOR PRODUCING RAPIDLY RENEWABLE CHITINOUS MATERIAL USING FUNGAL FRUITING BODIES AND PRODUCTS MADE THEREBY

摘要

The method of growing a fungal fruiting body requires exposing a mycelium of a desired organism type to environmental conditions sufficient to induce fruiting of fungal primordium in the organism type followed by enclosing the fungal primordium within a mold of a designated shape representing a near net shape volume of a desired final product. The fungal primordium is allowed to grow and fill the mold to form a mass of fungal tissue equivalent in shape to the designated shape of the mold after which the mass of fungal tissue is removed from the mold and dried.