Abstract
This study deals with the cultivation of cloud ear mushroom (Auricularia polytricha) using two food industrial wastes in Amami islands, fermented bagasse and brown sugar shochu lees, as culture media. These materials were found to be better for the mushroom cultivation than the conventional media. The medium containing 85% bagasse and 10% brown sugar shochu lees was the most effective for the cultivation. The fruit bodies obtained from the media could be judged to be a local special product because they were rich in dietary fiber and β-glucan. By the strong absorbing ability of potassium, 41.8% of potassium was removed from the starting media by the mushroom. The results suggest that the potassium amount in the agricultural field will be reduced when the waste media will be used in substitution for the brown sugar shochu lees. As chemical analyses of the waste media showed the lower content of lignin, ADF and NDF, ration digestibility of the waste media from the fermented bagasse and the brown sugar shochu lees is deduced to be higher than the conventional waste media.
