Abstract
The solid fraction of shochu lees emitted from shochu production is dried and used effectively as a livestock feed and a fertilizer. In this study, we took note that shochu lees are a byproduct derived from agricultural produce and safe industrial food waste with high nutritional value, developed a mushroom bed made from the dried solid of sweet potato shochu lees (dried solid of shochu lees, hereafter), and ran a mushroom (eringi, Pleurotus eryingii) culture test. The dried solid of shochu lees cut culture time and improved the yield and quality of the fruiting body; it was found suitable as a nutritional material for mushroom culture. Especially in a test plot with the shochu lees added at 60%, the culture time was about five days shorter and the yield of the fruiting body 60% greater than in a test plot with a control medium (BL) containing rice bran and wheat bran as nutritional materials. Moreover, eringi cultured with the dried solid of shochu lees was tastier, sweeter, and better in texture than eringi grown with the control medium.
The dried solid of shochu lees used as a nutritional material was also indicated to be economical in that it reduced material cost to three to four fifths that of conventional media.
As described above, eringi culture using the dried solid of shochu lees is less costly and more effective for improving the yield and quality. Therefore, it is considered practically applicable.
