Method and system for producing liquid mushroom spawn whose performance has been confirmed.

Abstract

This invention provides a method and system for producing liquid inoculated mushroom spawn, in which cultivation tests are conducted on all spawn in deep culture tanks before use for mushroom cultivation inoculation, and the performance of the spawn has been confirmed. [Solution] This is a method for producing liquid mushroom spawn whose performance has been confirmed. The method involves inoculating a culture medium from which solid matter has been removed with spawn and deep culturing it in a deep culture tank (S1, 2), removing mycelial masses from the culture medium after deep culturing (S3), compressing the mycelial masses to create aggregated mycelial masses and adjusting the moisture content (S4), fusing the mycelium of the aggregated mycelial masses to create mycelial blocks and storing them at low temperature or frozen (S5, 6), conducting cultivation tests for each deep culture tank during the storage period to evaluate the performance of the spawn and determine the superior performance of the spawn, selecting and shipping superior spawn (S7, 8, 9).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a production system for producing mushroom spawn, and particularly to a liquid spawn suitable for inoculation after reducing moisture from a liquid spawn cultured in a liquid state and then reducing it to a liquid spawn suitable for inoculation, and inoculating it into a mushroom cultivation container. By extending the lifespan of the spawn, a cultivation test is conducted in advance before using the spawn for inoculation into a mushroom cultivation container, and after generating fruiting bodies and confirming the performance, it relates to a method and a production system for producing a liquid spawn used for inoculation.

Background Art

[0002] In the artificial cultivation of edible mushrooms using a cultivation container, mushroom spawn is inoculated into a sterilized culture medium for cultivation, germination treatment is performed on the culture medium after the cultivation is completed, and fruiting bodies are generated and harvested. There are solid and liquid types of spawn inoculated into the culture medium. In recent years, the use of liquid spawn has been spreading because of the low cost of producing spawn and the ability to shorten the cultivation period after inoculation into the culture medium compared to solid spawn.

[0003] For the solid spawn, large sawdust spawn and grain spawn, in the case of large sawdust spawn, nutrients are added to large sawdust to form a culture medium, and in the case of grain spawn, grains such as wheat are used as the culture medium. After filling a solid culture medium into a spawn container and performing a sterilization treatment, the mycelium of the mushroom is inoculated into the culture medium and cultured aseptically. The culture medium after a predetermined cultivation is used as the mushroom spawn.

[0004] In Patent Document 1, one type of liquid spawn of mushrooms is disclosed. Conventional liquid spawn of mushrooms is prepared by creating a liquid culture solution, filling it into a culture tank, performing a sterilization treatment on the culture solution, inoculating the mycelium of the mushroom, and performing deep culture aseptically. The culture solution cultured for a predetermined period is used as the spawn. Usually, this type of liquid spawn is shipped at an optimal mycelium concentration for inoculation. When storing the culture solution, the growth of the mycelium progresses in the culture solution, and as the mycelium concentration becomes high, it becomes unsuitable for inoculation. Therefore, this type of conventional liquid spawn has been used for inoculation on the day of shipment.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a method for producing liquid mushroom spawn for inoculation into a culture medium in a cultivation container by reducing liquid spawn of liquid cultured mushrooms. This method involves reducing the water content of liquid cultured mushroom spawn through a water-reduction treatment, and then reducing the water-reduction treated spawn to a liquid spawn suitable for inoculation. This invention extends the time until inoculation by applying a water-reduction treatment to liquid cultured spawn, enabling mushroom producers to easily and inexpensively reduce water-reduction spawn to liquid spawn and inoculate it into a culture medium.

[0006] Patent Document 3 discloses a method for producing liquid mushroom spawn for use in the production of mushroom fruiting bodies, the spawn itself, and a method for preserving it. It describes performing liquid deep culture by stirring the culture medium with bubbles, adding a thickening agent to the culture medium, and storing the liquid mushroom spawn at a temperature of 10°C or below (-1 to 3°C) that does not substantially freeze it. By storing the culture solution used as spawn at low temperatures, the activity of mycelium in the culture solution is suppressed, making it possible to store the culture solution for 7 to 35 days.

[0007] These conventional mushroom spawns undergo a pre-culturing process where the original mycelium (hereinafter referred to as "original spawn") is inoculated into a small culture medium to increase the volume of the spawn. The culture medium, which has been increased to a predetermined volume (hereinafter referred to as "original spawn"), is then inoculated into the culture medium for the spawn used in mushroom production and cultured to produce large quantities of spawn.

[0008] These conventional solid and liquid mushroom spawns, during the process of mass-growing the original spawn in solid and liquid culture media, experienced a certain probability of mutations in the properties of the mycelium, resulting in the following problems. These mutations have caused significant adverse effects on mushroom production, including poor mycelial growth where hyphae do not spread throughout the culture medium, poor mycelial mass formation where hyphae protrude and form clumps on the culture medium surface, drastically reducing fruiting body yield, poor germination where fruiting bodies do not develop or the number of fruiting bodies is drastically reduced, poor malformation where many fruiting body caps are deformed, and poor yield where the fruiting body yield is drastically reduced. Furthermore, in spawn cultures using deep culture, which have become increasingly popular in recent years, the probability of mutations occurring is several to tens of times higher compared to culture in air, which is a problem.

[0009] To prevent the effects of such trait mutations from spreading, spawn manufacturers have traditionally divided the same variety into multiple lines, created separate mycelial strains (copies) by individually subculturing each line, and then sequentially used these multiple strains for mass production. Even if a trait mutation occurs in one strain, it is rare for multiple strains to undergo the same trait mutation simultaneously. Therefore, spawn manufacturers have used this method to avoid the risk of production disruptions caused by a concentration of mushroom production problems due to trait mutations.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to minimize the impact of mycelial property variations, cultivation trials have been conducted using the original spawn strains that serve as the source for the spawn used in mass production of mushrooms, for each mycelial strain. These trials have been conducted to quickly detect property variations and remove strains exhibiting mutations from mass production, thereby avoiding adverse effects on mushroom production due to mycelial property variations. However, since mycelial property variations occur during the cultivation process after subculturing, cultivation trials using the original spawn strains could not completely eliminate spawn property variations, making it impossible to completely avoid production interruptions or sharp declines. As a result, it had become common knowledge that mushroom producers would suffer losses with a certain probability due to spawn mutations and performance deterioration.

[0011] Because the mycelium of mushrooms undergoes property changes during the cultivation process of successively subcultured mycelium, in order to completely prevent property changes in the spawn, it is essential to conduct cultivation trials using the spawn actually used for mass production of mushrooms, rather than using conventional original spawn.

[0012] Cultivation trials require several tens of days for mushrooms with short cultivation cycles, such as enoki mushrooms, and several months for mushrooms with long cultivation periods, such as shiitake mushrooms. Conventional solid spawn and liquid spawn using mycelial culture solution as spawn reduce mycelial activity and suppress mycelial aging to some extent when stored in a low-temperature environment. This allows for longer storage periods of the spawn. By storing the spawn at low temperatures for a long period during cultivation trials and using only spawn with good results in mass production of mushrooms, it is possible to reduce variations in the properties of the spawn.

[0013] However, when conducting cultivation trials using conventional solid-type spawns and liquid spawns that utilize mycelial culture solutions as spawn, there are the following problems:

[0014] The first problem is that the cost of storing the spawn during trial cultivation becomes high, making the spawn expensive. This is because both conventional solid-form and liquid-form spawns used as culture medium have a large volume, and storing them at low temperatures for extended periods requires a huge clean room that maintains a specific temperature and humidity. As a result, a large capital investment is required for facilities to store the spawn long-term, and the running costs such as electricity and management fees for low-temperature storage of the spawn become high.

[0015] The second problem is that conducting cultivation tests with conventional solid-form spawn is practically impossible due to the large number of samples to be tested. This is because the spawn used for mass production is cultured in spawn containers at the spawn manufacturing site, but these containers have a small capacity to improve convenience during spawn manufacturing and inoculation. As a result, there are many spawn containers, and if one tries to sample mycelium from various types of containers to conduct preliminary cultivation tests, the number of cultivation tests becomes enormous, making cultivation testing difficult.

[0016] The third problem is that, due to problems 1 and 2 above, it was difficult to conduct performance tests on the spawn used for mass production. For this reason, conventional spawns were grown using the parent spawn from one generation prior to the spawn used for mass production. As a result, intermittent disruptions in mushroom production and sharp declines occurred due to variations in the properties of the spawn. Furthermore, the inventors confirmed that even with the same parent fungus, variations in properties occurred in each deep culture tank. For this reason, cultivation tests must be conducted on a deep culture tank basis. In this invention, cultivation tests of the spawn are conducted in each deep culture tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0017] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-51639 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-305043 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-200749 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0018] The object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for producing liquid mushroom spawn, which involves sampling the spawn from all deep culture tanks of spawn used for mass production of mushrooms, conducting cultivation tests on the spawn from all deep culture tanks before inoculation for mushroom cultivation to evaluate the culture characteristics and growth characteristics of the spawn, and then performing a performance evaluation based on the evaluation results to select only superior spawn for mass production of mushrooms.

[0019] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid inoculum that can be stored for a long period of time at low cost without causing property changes, by improving upon the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2; to supply an inoculum that can be inoculated into the culture medium of many test culture containers of the same volume using a small amount of inoculum; and to provide a test cultivation technique that can significantly shorten the cultivation test period. [Means for solving the problem]

[0020] The present invention comprises: a solid matter removal step (S1) in which solid matter is removed from the culture medium used for deep culture; a deep culture step (S2) in which spawn for mass production of mushrooms is inoculated into the culture medium used for deep culture from which solid matter has been removed in the above step, and mycelium is deep cultured in an arbitrary number of deep culture tanks to produce spawn; a mycelial mass production step (S3) in which mycelial masses are extracted from the culture medium after deep culture in the above step for each of the deep culture tanks to produce mycelial masses; an aggregated mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment step (S4) in which the mycelial masses produced in the above step are compressed to create aggregated mycelial masses and the moisture content of the mycelial masses is adjusted; a mycelial block creation step (S5) in which the individual mycelia inside the aggregated mycelial masses created in the above step are fused together to create an integrated mycelial block; and the mycelial blocks created in the above step are extracted for each of the deep culture tanks. The process consists of the following steps: a low-temperature or frozen storage step (S6) in which the mycelium is stored at a low temperature or frozen; a test cultivation container (71) in which a portion of the mycelium mass created in the aggregate mycelium mass creation and moisture content adjustment step (S4) is taken and subjected to a predetermined treatment, and the inoculated with mycelium as a spawn is placed in a test cultivation apparatus (70-1), and a cultivation test is conducted for each deep culture tank, and the performance of the spawn is evaluated by observing the culture and growth status of the spawn; a performance evaluation step (S8) in which the superiority or inferiority of the spawn is determined based on the evaluation results of the cultivation test conducted in the above step; and a spawn selection and shipment step (S9) in which the spawn determined to be superior as a result of the performance evaluation of the spawn conducted in the above step is selected from the spawn stored at a low temperature or frozen in the low-temperature or frozen storage step (S6), determined to be liquid spawn for inoculation into mushroom cultivation containers, and shipped. This method for producing liquid mushroom spawn is characterized by carrying out a cultivation test process (S7) and a performance evaluation process (S8) within the storage period of a low-temperature or frozen storage process (S6) to produce spawn for inoculation into mushroom cultivation containers whose performance has been confirmed.

[0021] Furthermore, the test cultivation apparatus (70-1) used in the cultivation test process (S7) according to the present invention is equipped with a constant temperature water supply circulation device (82, 83), and the cultivation test is characterized in that the test cultivation and test growth of the spawn are carried out in an environment maintained at a test culture temperature of 13-22°C using circulating water controlled to 13-19°C and a test growth temperature of 13-19°C using circulating water.

[0022] The present invention includes: a solid matter removal means (1) for removing solid matter from a culture medium used for deep culture; a deep culture means (2) for producing spawn by inoculating the culture medium used for deep culture from which solid matter has been removed by the means with a spawn used for mass production of mushrooms, and deep culturing mycelium in an arbitrary number of deep culture tanks; a mycelial mass production means (3) for producing mycelial masses by taking out mycelial masses from the culture medium after deep culture by the means for each deep culture tank; a aggregated mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment means (4) for compressing the mycelial masses produced by the means to create aggregated mycelial masses and adjusting the moisture content of the mycelial masses; a mycelial block creation means (5) for fusing the individual mycelia inside the aggregated mycelial masses created by the means to create an integrated mycelial block; and deep culturing the mycelial block created by the means. The system comprises: a low-temperature or frozen storage means (6) for storing each tank at a low temperature or frozen; a cultivation test means (70-1) for conducting cultivation tests on each deep culture tank by placing test cultivation containers (71) in which mycelium, taken from the aggregated mycelium mass created by the aggregated mycelium mass creation and moisture content adjustment means (4) and subjected to a predetermined treatment, is inoculated as spawn; a performance evaluation means (8) for determining the superiority or inferiority of the spawn based on the evaluation results of the cultivation tests conducted by the means; and a spawn selection and shipping means (9) for selecting spawns that have been determined to be superior based on the performance evaluation results of the means, from the spawns stored at low temperatures or frozen in the low-temperature or frozen storage means (6), determining them to be liquid spawn for inoculation into mushroom cultivation containers, and shipping them. The cultivation test conducted by the cultivation test means (7) and the performance determination conducted by the performance determination means (8) are carried out within the storage period implemented by the low-temperature or freezing storage means (6), and the inoculum for inoculating the mushroom cultivation container with confirmed performance is manufactured. This is a manufacturing system for liquid inoculum of mushrooms.

[0023] The test cultivation device (70-1) constituting the cultivation test means (7) according to the present invention includes a constant temperature water supply and circulation device (82, 83), and the cultivation test is carried out in an environment maintained at a test culture temperature of circulating water controlled at 13 to 22°C and a test growth temperature of circulating water controlled at 13 to 19°C for the test culture and test growth of the inoculum.

Advantages of the Invention

[0024] In the present invention, the mycelium block with reduced moisture content of the inoculum and fused mycelium clumps is stored at low temperature or frozen. Therefore, the lifespan of the inoculum can be extended and long-term storage becomes possible. Also, since the storage target is the dehydrated and block-shaped mycelium, the storage facilities and storage costs are reduced. In the present invention, before using the inoculum for mushroom cultivation inoculation (before shipping the inoculum), test cultivation can be carried out in a short period to confirm the performance of the inoculum used for mass production.

[0025] In the present invention, since the test cultivation is carried out with a water-cooled cultivation device, it becomes possible to carry out the cultivation test in a short period. Also, in the present invention, since the performance determination of the inoculum is carried out based on the results of the test cultivation, defective inoculum can be discarded and only inoculum with excellent performance can be selected and shipped. In the present invention, since the cultivation test is carried out using the inoculum actually used for mushroom mass production, it is possible to remove the property mutation of the inoculum and avoid the risk of damage such as reduced production.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] [Figure 1] It is a flowchart showing the manufacturing procedure of the liquid inoculum of mushrooms of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram explaining the overall configuration of the manufacturing system of the liquid inoculum of mushrooms of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a deep tissue culture apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the mycelial mass production apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a test cultivation container according to the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example configuration of a test cultivation apparatus according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0027] The method and system for producing a liquid mushroom spawn (hereinafter also simply referred to as "this liquid spawn") whose performance according to the present invention has been confirmed will be described below. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the examples shown herein, and the examples may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. Furthermore, in the present invention, which includes the liquid inoculum production system described later, the accuracy of cultivation tests is ensured and the effectiveness of selecting and shipping superior inoculum is guaranteed by using containers, devices, etc., that are assigned a unique code to each deep culture tank for various processing of the inoculum in the mycelial mass production process after the deep culture process. In particular, in the cultivation tests of the present invention, for each of the multiple deep culture tanks created on the same day, a unique code is assigned to the containers, devices, etc., that process the inoculum contained in that tank in order to distinguish it from others, and cultivation tests are conducted on the inoculum in all of the deep culture tanks.

[0028] First, the method for producing the liquid spawn according to the present invention will be explained with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a flowchart showing the production procedure for the liquid spawn. The method for producing the liquid spawn involves inoculating a spawn used for mass production of mushrooms into a culture medium from which solid matter has been removed, deep culturing in a deep culture tank (S1, 2), removing mycelial masses from the culture medium after deep culturing (S3), compressing the mycelial masses to create aggregated mycelial masses and adjusting the moisture content (S4), fusing the mycelium of the aggregated mycelial masses to create mycelial blocks and storing them at low temperature or frozen in each deep culture tank (S5, 6), while a cultivation test is conducted on the mycelium of each aggregated mycelial mass, and the spawn that is judged to have excellent performance (S7, 8) is selected from the stored spawn (S6) to be used as spawn for mushroom cultivation.

[0029] Next, we will explain each processing step (S1 to S9) that constitutes the method for producing this liquid inoculation. In the solid matter removal step (S1), the culture medium (liquid medium) used for deep culture of mushroom mycelium (hereinafter also referred to as "deep culture medium") is filtered to remove solid matter such as soybean meal contained in the culture medium, thereby producing a deep culture medium that does not contain solid matter. Because the deep culture medium does not contain solid matter, it becomes possible to fuse the mycelial masses in the mycelial block preparation step (S5) which will be carried out later.

[0030] Next, in the deep culture step (S2), using the deep culture medium that does not contain solid matter produced in step (S1), the spawn used for mass production of mushrooms is inoculated into the culture medium. Mushroom spawn is produced by deep culture of mushroom mycelium in a deep culture tank for more than 7 days. The deep culture process will be described in detail later using Figure 3, which shows an example of the configuration of the deep culture apparatus 20.

[0031] In the mycelial mass production process (S3), the culture medium produced after deep culture in the deep culture process (S2) is filtered to extract the countless vegetative mycelial masses suspended in the culture medium, thereby producing a mycelial mass. At this time, the mycelial masses, having been removed from the culture medium, are separated from the deep culture state and transition to a static culture state.

[0032] In the aggregate mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment process (S4), the numerous mycelial masses produced by removing them from the culture medium in the mycelial mass manufacturing process (S3) are compressed to reduce their volume and create aggregate mycelial masses. At the same time, the moisture content is adjusted so that the vegetative mycelium inside the compressed mycelial masses fuse together. This moisture content is suitable for long-term storage of the mycelial masses and satisfies the conditions that prevent moisture from seeping out even when the mycelial masses are stored at a temperature of 0-25°C for 30 days or more. Because the aggregate mycelial masses are compressed and the liquid culture medium is removed from around the mycelium, they move from a static culture state (deep culture state) to an air culture state. By moving to an air culture state, the mycelial masses can be stored stably for a long period of time.

[0033] In the mycelial block preparation process (S5), the aggregated mycelial mass, which is in an air culture state created in the aggregated mycelial mass preparation and moisture content adjustment process (S4), is placed in a temperature environment where the mycelium can be active while suppressing physiological activity. The mycelial masses inside the aggregated mycelial mass fuse together to create a mycelial block in which high-density vegetative mycelium forms a single mass. During the process of mycelial mass fusion, the antioxidant ergothioneine is produced, and the ergothioneine concentration in the mycelial block increases. The increase in ergothioneine in the mycelial block protects the mycelium from oxidative stress and reduces the risk of mutation during storage. Mycelial blocks are made up of only high-density fused vegetative mycelium and do not exist in nature. Furthermore, the transition to an air culture state through the above process makes it possible to form blocks, which allows for even longer-term storage.

[0034] In the low-temperature or frozen storage process (S6), the mycelial blocks prepared in the mycelial block preparation process (S5) are stored in a low-temperature environment of approximately 0-25°C that does not freeze, or in an environment where the temperature is lowered to below the freezing point. This suppresses the physiological activity of the mycelium, prevents aging of the mycelium, and enables long-term storage.

[0035] The cultivation test process (S7) and the performance evaluation process (S8), described later, are carried out within the storage period of the low-temperature or frozen storage process (S6). Furthermore, the cultivation test process (S7) is carried out in a water-cooled cultivation system that can sufficiently remove heat during cultivation and where the cultivation conditions are completely stable. In the cultivation test process (S7), cultivation tests are carried out for each deep culture tank in which the spawn used for mass production of mushrooms is manufactured. The spawn targeted for test cultivation is the spawn used for mass production of mushrooms. Cultivation tests are carried out on the spawn used for mass production of mushrooms that is filled in the deep culture tank used in the deep culture process (S2), which is manufactured by inoculating the spawn used for mass production of mushrooms into a deep culture medium.

[0036] Furthermore, even with the same spawn, variations in properties can occur in each deep culture tank. Therefore, in the cultivation tests of this invention, the tests are conducted on a deep culture tank basis. To distinguish and identify the spawn used in the cultivation tests from other spawns, a specific code is assigned to each deep culture tank in which the spawn used for mass production of mushrooms was manufactured. In the cultivation test process (S7), mycelium obtained by aseptically sampling a portion of the aggregated mycelium mass (spawn) immediately after its creation in the aggregated mycelium mass creation and moisture content adjustment process (S4) is used as the spawn for the cultivation test. After crushing this mycelium, the spawn, diluted with sterile water, is liquid-inoculated into the inoculation holes 75 (see Figure 5) of a sterilized culture medium (mushroom production medium) in a small, transparent or translucent test cultivation container.

[0037] In the cultivation test process (S7), the test cultivation containers inoculated with mycelium are placed in the test cultivation apparatus 70-1, and the cultivation test is carried out in the test cultivation apparatus, which is controlled to maintain a uniform temperature inside the containers. In the cultivation test, the presence or absence of defects in the mycelium (spawn) and the performance of the mycelium are evaluated based on the progress records of the test culture process and test growth process of the spawn and images of the cultivation test containers. The evaluation is performed by quantifying the culture state, germination state, and growth state and assigning points to the spawn in the test cultivation containers created for each deep culture tank.

[0038] In the performance evaluation step (S8), defects in the spawn are detected and the performance of the spawn is evaluated based on the results of the cultivation test conducted in the cultivation test step (S7).

[0039] In the spawn selection and shipment process (S9), based on the performance evaluation results of the spawn conducted in the performance evaluation process (S8), spawn that are judged to have superior evaluation results are selected and determined to be liquid spawn to be used for inoculation from the spawn stored in the low-temperature or frozen storage process (S6), and the selected spawn are shipped to mushroom producers, etc., as liquid spawn to be inoculated into mushroom cultivation containers (used for inoculation). Spawn identical to the spawn that has been evaluated for performance is stored in storage containers in the low-temperature or frozen storage process (S6), each with an individual code for each deep culture tank. Spawn that is judged to have defects as a result of the evaluation in the performance evaluation process (S8) is discarded from the mycelium (spawn) stored at low temperature or frozen.

[0040] Furthermore, mushroom producers and others who receive a supply of spawn whose performance according to the present invention has been confirmed will reduce the supplied spawn to inoculation spawn using, for example, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-305043, which involves reducing liquid spawn of liquid-cultured mushrooms to liquid spawn for inoculation into a culture medium in a cultivation container, and then inoculate it into the mushroom cultivation container.

[0041] Steps S1 to S8 described above are performed on a deep culture tank basis. By increasing the number of deep culture tanks by several tens of percent compared to the planned shipment quantity of inoculum, only high-performing inoculum can be shipped. Subsidized inoculum with lower performance is stored refrigerated or frozen as a backup before being discarded. Furthermore, processing such as the creation of aggregated mycelial masses is carried out separately for each deep culture tank in which the inoculum was deep cultured, using processing equipment and containers, and then stored.

[0042] Next, we will explain the liquid starter culture production system in more detail, including the production method. The liquid starter culture production system consists of processing means corresponding to the production method (processing steps) described above. Since each processing means performs its respective processing step, we will omit a general overview of the entire production system and instead explain each of the means that make up the production system. Figures 2 to 6 are diagrams illustrating the liquid starter culture production system. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the liquid starter culture production system. Referring to Figure 2, we will explain each of the means (1) to (9) that make up the liquid starter culture production system.

[0043] The solid matter removal device 1, as a means (1) for removing solid matter according to the present invention, filters the culture medium used for deep culture of mushroom mycelium to remove solid matter such as soybean meal and prepare a liquid culture medium, and then produces a deep culture medium (hereinafter also referred to as "deep culture medium") a that is maintained at a temperature suitable for deep culture. Because the deep culture medium does not contain solid matter, it enables the mycelial block formation carried out by the mycelial block creation device 5 described later.

[0044] In this invention, the culture medium was prepared using enoki mushroom spawn. In this invention, 200 g of soybean meal was extracted with hot water in 6 liters of water, and the extract was filtered to remove the soybean meal (solid matter). To the extract from which the soybean meal had been removed, 3 g of magnesium sulfate, 3 g of potassium phosphate, and 120 g of sugar were added to prepare a culture medium for deep culture.

[0045] Next, an example of the configuration of the deep culture apparatus 2 as a deep culture means (2) according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the deep culture apparatus 20 carried out in a deep culture tank. The deep culture apparatus 20 produces mushroom spawn by deep culturing a culture solution in which mycelium has been inoculated into a deep culture medium a from which solid matter has been removed supplied by a solid matter removal device 1, in any number of deep culture tanks. The spawn inoculated into the deep culture medium which does not contain solid matter is a spawn used for mass production of mushrooms. Furthermore, the production of spawn by such deep culture can also be carried out by a known method disclosed in Patent Document 2.

[0046] In Figure 3, 21 is a deep culture tank, 22 is a sterile air supply unit, 23 is a sterile air supply pipe, 24 is a deep culture tank lid, 25 is an exhaust pipe, 26 is an exhaust control valve, 27 is a culture medium extraction pipe, and 28 is a culture medium extraction control valve. 30 is a mycelial mass production device to which the culture medium (hereinafter also referred to as "post-deep culture medium") b, which has been cultured in the deep culture apparatus, is supplied. s represents culture air, r represents exhaust culture air, and b represents the post-deep culture medium.

[0047] The deep culture tank 21 is filled with culture medium b, which is supplied from the solids removal device 1 and contains mushroom mycelium that has been aseptically inoculated into the deep culture medium a. The sterile air supply unit 22 is connected to the air supply pipe 23 and supplies culture air s to the deep culture tank 21 at a predetermined pressure. The sterile air supply pipe 23 is connected to the deep culture tank 21 and opens in the deep part of the deep culture medium b, stirring the deep culture medium and supplying air to the medium.

[0048] The deep culture tank lid 24 aseptically seals the deep culture tank 21. The exhaust pipe 25 is connected to the deep culture tank and exhausts the culture air s to the outside of the deep culture tank. The exhaust adjustment valve 26 is connected to the exhaust pipe and adjusts the amount of culture air s exhausted. The culture medium extraction pipe 27 is connected to the deep culture tank 21 and extracts the culture medium b after deep culture to the outside of the deep culture tank. The culture medium extraction adjustment valve 28 is connected to the culture medium extraction pipe 27 and is opened when the culture medium is extracted.

[0049] In the culture medium inoculated with mycelium and subjected to deep culture, countless mycelial clumps of various sizes and shapes, formed by the proliferation of mycelium in the culture medium, are suspended. Subsequently, the culture medium b after deep culture, in which the mycelium that has proliferated in the culture medium is suspended as countless mycelial clumps, is filtered by the mycelial clump production device 3 described later, and only the countless mycelial clumps contained in the deep culture medium are extracted, producing a gel-like mycelial clump.

[0050] In this invention, a culture medium for deep culture that does not contain solid matter, supplied from a solid matter removal device, is sterilized at 100°C to 130°C, and then cooled to 5 to 30°C. Mushroom (Enokitake) mycelium (spawn) is aseptically inoculated into this culture medium, and after inoculation, sterile air is supplied to the deep culture tank to perform deep culture of the mycelium for a predetermined period. After deep culture for 5 to 30 days, a post-deep culture medium containing countless mycelial clumps is produced.

[0051] In this invention, in the processes performed after deep culture using the deep culture apparatus 20 described above (2, S2), including mycelial mass production (3, S3), aggregated mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment (4, S4), mycelial block creation (5, S5), low-temperature or frozen storage (6, S6), cultivation test (7, S7), performance evaluation (8, S8), and spawn selection and shipment (9, S9), the equipment and containers used in the processes are marked with a unique code created on the same day for each deep culture tank used for spawn production, in order to clearly distinguish them from other deeply cultured spawn. Since each deep culture tank in which spawn for mass production of mushrooms is cultured is marked with a unique code (identification code) and processes such as mycelial mass production are carried out, the accuracy of the cultivation test and the reliability of producing high-quality spawn for mass production are ensured.

[0052] Next, the mycelial mass production apparatus 3, which is a mycelial mass production means (3) according to the present invention, will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the mycelial mass production apparatus. The mycelial mass production apparatus 30 compresses the countless gel-like post-deep culture solution b containing water supplied from the deep culture apparatus 20, discharges the excess water as filtered waste liquid c, and produces a solidified mycelial mass d with reduced volume.

[0053] In Figure 4, 31 is a mycelial mass compressor, 32 is a filter mesh section as a filtration device, and 33 is the outlet for filtered waste liquid. d represents the mycelial mass, and c represents the filtered waste liquid. The mycelial mass production device 30 aseptically filters and compresses the post-deep culture medium b supplied from the deep culture device 20 shown in Figure 3 using the compressor 31, separating the culture medium into filtered waste liquid c and mycelial mass for each deep culture tank to produce solid mycelial masses d. After the mycelial masses d are produced, the filtered waste liquid c is discharged from the filtered waste liquid outlet 33, and is discarded after various culture-related data are measured. Although Figure 4 shows a mesh as the filtration device, a filter mesh, filter cloth, centrifuge, etc., can be used as the filtration device. When mycelial masses are produced, the mycelium is removed from the culture medium, detached from deep culture, and transitions to static culture.

[0054] The aggregate mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment device 4, as a means for creating aggregate mycelial masses and adjusting moisture content (4), takes the mycelial mass d produced by the mycelial mass production device 3 and processes it by compression or centrifugation in each deep culture tank to separate excess water and create aggregate mycelial mass f after adjusting the moisture content. The water contained in the mycelial mass d is separated and discarded as moisture content adjustment waste liquid e. In the processing of mycelial mass d in the mycelial mass production apparatus 3, if the moisture content of the mycelial mass d is high, moisture will seep out of the mycelial mass and the mycelium will deteriorate when the mycelial mass is stored for a long period of time. The moisture content of mycelial mass d should be adjusted to the highest possible level while ensuring that moisture does not seep out of the mycelial mass d even when stored in a low-temperature environment for 3 months. In other words, the moisture content of the mycelial mass needs to be adjusted to a state suitable for mycelial fusion and long-term storage.

[0055] Therefore, in the aggregate mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment device 4, the aggregate mycelial mass f, which has been solidified by compression, is adjusted to a moisture content that prevents moisture from seeping out of the aggregate mycelial mass even during long-term storage, while also ensuring that the physiological activity of the mycelium is not lost. The aggregate mycelial mass separates from the static culture state as the culture medium is lost from the surrounding area and transitions to an air culture state.

[0056] In this invention, the aggregated mycelial mass, after moisture content adjustment, is adjusted to a moisture content of 90% to 97% (containing 10% to 3% water) so that moisture does not seep out of the mycelial mass even when stored at a temperature of 7°C to 10°C for 30 days or more. This treatment reduces the moisture and nutrients surrounding the mycelium, thereby lowering the physiological activity of the mycelial mass and enabling long-term storage.

[0057] The mycelial block creation device 5, as a means for creating mycelial blocks (5), creates and manufactures a mycelial block g, which is a large mass of vegetative mycelium formed by fusing all the individual mycelia inside the aggregated mycelial mass f that has been supplied from the mycelial mass creation / moisture content adjustment device 4 into an air culture state. Because the mycelia inside the mycelial block g are fused, they form one large mycelial colony. A large mass of mycelium formed solely of vegetative mycelium does not exist in nature, and this form of mycelium allows for long-term storage of the mycelium.

[0058] The mycelium within the mycelial block has reduced physiological activity due to the lack of sufficient nutrients in the surrounding environment, allowing for long-term storage. Furthermore, the concentration of ergothioneine in the mycelial block increases during the fusion process. This increase in ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant, protects the mycelium from oxidative stress during storage, suppressing mycelial aging and enabling even longer storage. This suppresses mutations in the mycelium during storage. In this invention, the mycelial block g produced by the mycelial block production device retains its activity even after freezing and thawing, allowing for storage in the range of -80°C to 20°C.

[0059] The low-temperature or freezing storage device 6, as a low-temperature or freezing storage means (6), stores the mycelial block g, which has been produced by the mycelial block production device 5 and in which the ergothioneine concentration inside the mycelial block has increased sufficiently, at a temperature or frozen state suitable for long-term storage while suppressing the physiological activity of the mycelium inside the mycelial block. The low-temperature or freezing storage device can also be used to store the mycelial mass after moisture content adjustment for a longer period by reducing its physiological activity by storing it at a temperature of approximately 2°C.

[0060] Mycelial block g retains its activity even after thawing following freezing, allowing it to be stored in a temperature range of -80°C to 20°C. Low-temperature or frozen storage is performed for each deep culture tank in the deep culture apparatus 2. Specifically, each deep culture tank created on the same day for deep culture of spawn used for mass production of mushrooms is assigned a unique code and stored together. It is stored as a candidate group h of inoculum spawn that may be shipped as inoculum until the evaluation results from the performance evaluation mechanism 8, described later, are received.

[0061] By placing the inoculated mycelium in a low-temperature environment, the physiological activity of the mycelium is further suppressed, extending the storage period of the inoculated spawn. Inoculated spawn that has experienced this condition has the effect of shortening the culture period, germination period, and growth period after inoculation. Once mycelium has experienced this condition, it remembers this property, and solid inoculated spawn produced using this mycelium will inherit the same properties.

[0062] In this invention, when mycelial blocks supplied from a mycelial block preparation device were stored at 5-6°C for 3-9 days, the ergothioneine content increased. After the ergothioneine content had sufficiently increased, the storage was moved to a low temperature of 0-2°C and stored for a long period in a low-temperature or freezer storage device. When stored at 6°C for 6 days, the ergothioneine content increased from 0.28 mg / g (dry weight) to 1.43 mg / g (dry weight), an increase of approximately 3.6 times. Since ergothioneine is a powerful antioxidant, it can protect the mycelium from oxidative damage that occurs during long-term low-temperature storage.

[0063] Next, the cultivation test means 7 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 2, 5, and 6. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the test cultivation container 71 that constitutes the cultivation test means 7, and Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the test cultivation device 70-1 that constitutes the cultivation test means 7. As shown in Figure 2, the cultivation test means 7 consists of a test cultivation container 71, a test cultivation device 70-1, a test culture record evaluation mechanism 70-2, and a test growth record evaluation mechanism 70-3. The cultivation test means 7 involves placing a test cultivation container 71, inoculated with mycelium (spawn) that has been treated with a predetermined process using aggregate mycelium mass f created by the aggregate mycelium mass creation / moisture content adjustment device 4, into the test cultivation device 70-1 to perform test cultivation, and then observing and evaluating the culture and growth status in detail using the test culture record evaluation mechanism 70-2 and the test growth record evaluation mechanism 70-3.

[0064] The test cultivation container 71 is a container in which the spawn is inoculated and cultured. The test cultivation record evaluation mechanism 70-2 records and evaluates in detail the culture status of the test cultivation spawn (mycelium) in the test cultivation container. The test growth record evaluation mechanism 70-3 records and evaluates the growth status (germination status) of the test cultivated spawn (mycelium). Based on these evaluations, the performance evaluation mechanism 8 determines the superiority or inferiority of the performance of the test cultivation spawn (mycelium).

[0065] The spawn used in the test cultivation is the same spawn actually used for mass production of mushrooms. Furthermore, even with the same spawn, variations in properties can occur in each deep culture tank. Therefore, the cultivation tests in this invention are conducted on a deep culture tank basis. To distinguish and identify the spawn used in the cultivation tests from other spawns, each deep culture tank that produces the spawn used for mass production of mushrooms is assigned a unique code (identification code) and the cultivation tests are conducted accordingly, ensuring the accuracy of the tests and the reliability of producing high-quality spawn for mass production.

[0066] The test cultivation containers constituting the cultivation test means 7 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of the test cultivation container 71. The test cultivation container 71 is a small, transparent or translucent, bottle-shaped container for test cultivation of mushroom spawn, with a volume of about 50 to 100 cc, which is smaller than the cultivation containers used for mass production of mushrooms. The test cultivation containers inoculated with mushroom spawn are placed in a predetermined position in the test cultivation device 70-1, and test cultivation of mushroom spawn is carried out under an ideal culture and growth environment. By inoculating small cultivation containers with liquid, it is possible to shorten the test cultivation period.

[0067] The test cultivation container 71 is filled with culture medium 74, and the culture medium has an inoculation hole 75 in the center. The inoculation hole is a cylindrical hole into which liquid spawn is inoculated onto the surface. The inoculated spawn is then used for test cultivation as spawn k in the test cultivation container placed in the test cultivation device 70-1. The cultivation container 71 is equipped with a test cultivation container cap 72 fitted with a ventilation filter 73. The test cultivation container cap is attached to the top of the cultivation container to aseptically protect the culture medium. The ventilation filter aseptically ventilates the carbon dioxide emitted by the culture medium and the outside air.

[0068] In the test cultivation container, a portion of the aggregated mycelial mass f immediately after its creation by the aggregated mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment device 4 is aseptically sampled and used as a spawn. After the spawn is crushed, it is diluted with sterile water and liquid-inoculated into the inoculation holes 75 of the sterile culture medium (mushroom production medium) 74 in the test cultivation container.

[0069] In this invention, 10 g of aggregated mycelial mass prepared using an aggregated mycelial mass preparation and moisture content adjustment device was aseptically crushed in each deep culture tank, diluted with 100 cc of water to prepare an inoculum, and the liquid inoculum of enoki mushrooms was inoculated into the culture medium of a 50 cc translucent bottle-shaped small container (test cultivation container) filled with enoki mushroom production medium.

[0070] Next, the test cultivation apparatus 70-1, which constitutes the cultivation test means 7 according to the present invention, will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example configuration of the test cultivation apparatus 70-1. As the test cultivation containers 71 arranged in the test cultivation apparatus have been described above, their configuration and other details will be omitted here. Figure 6 shows an example in which four test cultivation containers 71 are arranged, but the number of test cultivation containers corresponds to the number of deep culture tanks in which the spawn used for mass production of mushrooms is cultured. The number of test cultivation containers corresponds to the number of deep culture tanks and will be determined by the amount of spawn planned for mass production of mushrooms.

[0071] The experimental cultivation apparatus 70-1 according to the present invention is a water-cooled spawn culture and growth apparatus, equipped with a constant-temperature water supply device 82 and a constant-temperature water circulation pipe 83, and circulating constant-temperature water (cooling water) x is supplied and circulated inside the apparatus. The experimental cultivation apparatus 70-1 is an apparatus for conducting spawn culture tests and growth tests by placing an experimental cultivation container 71 inside.

[0072] The experimental cultivation device 70-1 has an outside air intake port 78 on the side wall for introducing outside air v into the device, an air outlet port 79 on the top 77, and a carbon dioxide concentration adjustment mechanism 81 above it. An exhaust port 80 is opened at the top of the carbon dioxide concentration adjustment mechanism to release exhaust u to the outside. The carbon dioxide concentration adjustment mechanism 81 exhausts carbon dioxide discharged from the culture medium of the experimental cultivation container 71 to the outside as exhaust u through the exhaust port 80, and also takes in outside air v into the experimental cultivation device to maintain the carbon dioxide concentration inside the experimental cultivation device at a predetermined value. The carbon dioxide concentration inside the experimental cultivation device is maintained at 3,000 ppm or less, although this varies depending on the type of mushroom.

[0073] A water surface cover 76 is installed on the lower surface of the shoulder of the test cultivation container 71 placed in the test cultivation apparatus, covering the upper surface of the constant-temperature water surface w. The air inside the test cultivation apparatus is humidified by the evaporation of water from the constant-temperature water surface w. The water surface cover 76 maintains an appropriate level of evaporation from the water surface by covering the constant-temperature water surface w. The humidity inside the test cultivation apparatus is maintained at approximately 60% to 80%, although this varies depending on the type of mushroom. The test cultivation container 71, which is placed in the test cultivation apparatus, is placed on a test cultivation container mounting base 85, which is supported by test cultivation container mounting base legs 84 fixed to the bottom of the test cultivation apparatus 70-1, and the side walls of the bottom of the test cultivation container 71 are fixed by test cultivation container retainers 86.

[0074] The experimental cultivation apparatus 70-1 is equipped with a constant temperature water supply device 82 and a constant temperature water circulation pipe 83. The constant temperature water (cooling water) supply device 82 prepares and supplies cooling water (constant temperature water) at a constant temperature and circulates it within the experimental cultivation apparatus via the constant temperature water circulation pipe 83. The constant temperature water (cooling water) supply device 82 maintains a constant temperature of the constant temperature water (cooling water) through a constant temperature water circulation port opened at the bottom of the experimental cultivation apparatus, and circulates the constant temperature water x at a constant temperature within the experimental cultivation apparatus via the constant temperature water circulation pipe 83, filling the constant temperature water surface w.

[0075] Because water has high thermal conductivity, temperature variations within the culture medium are eliminated, allowing for higher cultivation temperatures. In conventional temperature control methods using air, the air cannot efficiently absorb heat from the culture medium, resulting in a temperature difference between the center and surface of the culture medium. For this reason, the cultivation temperature cannot be set above 20°C in the air-based method. On the other hand, water-cooled cultivation, which allows for higher cultivation temperatures, can shorten the cultivation period. Therefore, in the experimental cultivation of this invention, a water-cooled cultivation device that can shorten the cultivation period is adopted, making it possible to complete the performance test of the spawn before shipment of the mushroom inoculation spawn. Incidentally, although it varies depending on the type of mushroom, the actual cultivation period for enoki mushrooms is 21 to 28 days, whereas in the experimental cultivation of this invention, a small experimental cultivation container is used, resulting in a cultivation period of 9 to 15 days, allowing for experimental cultivation to be carried out in a short period.

[0076] Furthermore, by using water, which has good thermal conductivity, as a temperature control medium in test cultivation, the heat generated inside the culture medium after inoculation in the test cultivation container is efficiently dissipated to the outside. Compared to temperature control using air, which is commonly used, it becomes possible to set the core temperature of the culture medium to a temperature approximately 1°C higher, and the cultivation period is significantly shortened. In addition, while the temperature fluctuates around the set temperature when using air temperature control, there is almost no temperature fluctuation when using water temperature control, so variations in cultivation can be reduced, and only the cultivation performance of the inoculum can be observed.

[0077] In the experimental cultivation of the present invention, small, translucent experimental cultivation containers inoculated with liquid enoki mushroom spawn were placed in an experimental cultivation apparatus that circulated cooling water (constant temperature water) maintained at approximately 21°C. In the experimental cultivation apparatus, the temperature of the culture medium filled in the experimental cultivation containers after inoculation was controlled to 13-22°C using temperature-controlled water, and experimental cultivation was carried out for 9-15 days.

[0078] In the experimental growth of the present invention, after the experimental cultivation was completed in the experimental cultivation device, the culture medium after germination treatment was controlled to a temperature of 13-19°C using temperature-controlled water, and experimental growth was carried out for 7-15 days.

[0079] The test culture record evaluation mechanism 70-2, which constitutes the cultivation test means 7 according to the present invention, observes and records the conditions of the test culture in a test cultivation container inoculated with spawn, carried out in an environment maintained at a predetermined temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration within the test cultivation apparatus, in detail. The experimental culture record evaluation mechanism acquires various culture data, such as the core temperature of the culture medium, photographs of the external appearance of the experimental cultivation container during cultivation, and image data of the mushroom bed surface during germination treatment for each deep culture tank at predetermined time intervals, and creates culture information m recorded in chronological order. The culture medium 74 inside the experimental cultivation container during cultivation is photographed periodically to obtain culture image data, and culture evaluation data is generated by evaluating the progress of cultivation and the data at the completion of cultivation.

[0080] The experimental culture record evaluation mechanism 70-2 evaluates the above culture information m according to predetermined evaluation criteria and creates culture results o that rank the results in terms of superiority or inferiority according to the evaluation criteria. Culture results o are created for each deep culture tank of the deep culture apparatus 2 that produced the inoculum. The experimental culture record evaluation mechanism 70-2 takes images of the side and surface of the culture medium after inoculation of the experimental cultivation container 71 after the culture has been completed for each deep culture tank and performs culture image processing. The captured culture images are processed for each deep culture tank and arranged in chronological order to create culture evaluation data.

[0081] After the trial culture is complete, the inoculum is subjected to stimuli such as physical stimulation (mycelial scraping to remove the surface of the culture medium), temperature stimulation, and humidity stimulation to induce germination. The trial cultivation containers that have undergone germination treatment are used as the trial cultivation containers after germination treatment in the record evaluation by the trial growth record evaluation mechanism 70-3. The test growth record evaluation mechanism 70-3, which constitutes the cultivation test means 7 according to the present invention, germinates and grows mushrooms in the test cultivation container 71 after germination treatment has been performed in the test cultivation container, maintaining a predetermined temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration within the test cultivation device. Growth information n is created by recording various growth data and image data at predetermined time intervals.

[0082] The experimental growth record evaluation mechanism 70-3 records the above growth information n in chronological order and evaluates the recorded growth information n according to predetermined evaluation criteria to create growth performance p, which assigns superiority or inferiority to the evaluation criteria. Growth performance p is created for each deep culture tank in which the spawn is deep cultured. The experimental growth record evaluation mechanism takes images of the mycelial regeneration status and fruiting body growth status on the surface of the substrate in the cultivation container filled with culture medium after sprouting treatment for each deep culture tank. The captured growth images are processed for each deep culture tank and arranged in chronological order to create growth evaluation data.

[0083] In this invention, during processing in the experimental growth record evaluation mechanism, the cap is removed from the experimental cultivation container after the experimental culture is completed, and a mycelial scraping treatment is performed to scrape the surface of the culture medium. During experimental growth, the temperature of the cooling water in the experimental cultivation device is set to around 16°C to induce enoki mushroom germination. By using water with high thermal conductivity, temperature fluctuations inside the culture medium are eliminated, and the influence of fluctuations in culture temperature is removed when evaluating the performance of the spawn, making it possible to evaluate the performance of the pure spawn.

[0084] In the test cultivation apparatus, test cultivation containers filled with culture medium after sprouting treatment are grown for 7 to 15 days using temperature-controlled water to maintain the culture medium temperature at 13-19°C, and the fruiting bodies of Enoki mushrooms are produced. While conventional air temperature control results in temperature fluctuations of several degrees around the set temperature, water-based temperature control results in almost no temperature fluctuation, thus reducing variability in growth and allowing observation of only the growth performance of the spawn.

[0085] The performance determination mechanism 8, as a performance determination means (8) according to the present invention, detects defective samples in the test cultivation process and test growth process based on the culture evaluation data (culture information m, culture results o) and growth evaluation data (growth information n, growth results p) created by the test cultivation record evaluation mechanism 70-2 and the test growth record evaluation mechanism 70-3, and creates defective data. At the same time, it assigns evaluation scores to the growth status based on the growth evaluation data and ranks them to create performance ranking data. In accordance with the defective data, defective spawn are selected from the candidate group h for inoculation stored in the low-temperature or frozen storage device 6 for each deep culture tank and discarded as discarded spawn j. In accordance with the performance ranking data, the spawn selection and shipping mechanism 9 determines the top-performing spawn as selected spawn i for inoculation and ships them to mushroom producers, etc.

[0086] The performance evaluation mechanism 8 comprehensively evaluates the culture information m and culture results o created by the test culture record evaluation mechanism 70-2, which constitutes the cultivation test means 7, and the growth information n and growth results p created by the test growth record evaluation mechanism 70-3. It assigns an overall score to each deep culture tank and creates an overall evaluated spawn performance evaluation score q, which is sorted in descending order of evaluation score. This determines the superiority or inferiority of the performance of the spawn used for inoculation for mass mushroom production.

[0087] The performance evaluation mechanism 8 uses multiple personnel to refer to culture evaluation data (culture information m, culture results o) for each deep culture tank, and scores the state of the fungal environment, the state of the mycelium, and the culture status.

[0088] Next, growth evaluation data (growth information n, growth performance p) is used to evaluate the status of mycelial regeneration, primordia formation, fruiting body germination, etc., and assign a score to the growth status. Considering the culture evaluation score and growth evaluation score given for each deep culture tank, the tanks are ranked from highest to lowest score, and performance ranking data (spawn performance evaluation score q) is created.

[0089] The spawn selection and shipping mechanism 9, as a spawn selection and shipping means (9) according to the present invention, selects spawn that has been judged as superior by the performance evaluation mechanism 8 from a group of candidate spawn h for inoculation stored in a low-temperature or frozen storage device 6 for each deep culture tank, and determines them to be liquid spawn (selected spawn i for inoculation) to be used for inoculation and ships them to mushroom producers, etc. Spawn that has been judged as defective by the performance evaluation mechanism 8 is discarded as waste spawn j and not shipped, and only spawn with good performance can be shipped to mushroom producers, etc. for inoculation. In this invention, the number of deep culture tanks produced is set to be 10% to 100% more than the total amount of selected inoculum i, and the surplus inoculum candidate group h is discarded. Lower-performing inoculum candidates are discarded, and only superior inoculum i is shipped. [Industrial applicability]

[0090] In this invention, the moisture content of the spawn is reduced and the mycelial mass is fused to form mycelial blocks which are then stored at low temperatures or frozen. This allows for long-term storage of the spawn, reducing storage equipment and costs. Furthermore, by employing a water-cooled cultivation system, trial cultivation can be conducted in a short period of time. In this invention, cultivation tests of the spawn are conducted for each tank in which spawn used for mass production of mushrooms are manufactured to confirm performance. This prevents interruptions or sudden declines in mushroom production caused by variations in the properties of the spawn, and is expected to contribute to the spawn manufacturing and mushroom production industries. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] S1 Solid matter removal process S2 Deep culture process S3 Mycelial mass production process S4 Collective mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment process S5 Mycelial block preparation process S6 Low temperature or frozen storage process S7 Cultivation Test Process S8 Performance judgment process S9 Inoculation Selection and Shipping Process 1 Solid removal device 2. Deep culture apparatus (deep culture tank) 3. Mycelial mass production device 4. Mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment device 5. Mycelial block preparation device 6. Low-temperature or frozen storage equipment 7. Cultivation Test Methods 8 Performance judgment mechanism 9 types of fungal species selected and shipped 20 Deep culture device 21 Deep culture tanks 22 Sterile air supply unit 23. Sterile air supply pipe 24. Deep culture tank lid 25 Exhaust pipe 26 Exhaust control valve 27. Culture medium extraction pipe 28. Culture medium dispensing adjustment valve 30 Mycelial mass production device 31. Mycelial mass compressor 32 Filtration screen section 33 Outlet for filtered waste liquid 70-1 Test cultivation device 70-2 Test Culture Record Evaluation Mechanism 70-3 Test Growth Record Evaluation Organization 71 Test cultivation containers 72 Container cap 73 Ventilation filter 74 Culture medium 75 Inoculation hole 76 Water surface cover 77 Ceiling 78. Outside air intake 79 Air outlet 80 Exhaust vents 81 Carbon dioxide concentration adjustment mechanism 82 Constant temperature water supply equipment 83 Constant temperature water circulation pipe 84 Test cultivation container mounting stand legs 85 Test cultivation container mounting stand 86. Holder for experimental cultivation containers a Culture medium for deep culture b Culture solution after deep culture c. Filtrated waste liquid d Hyphal mass e. Waste liquid with adjusted moisture content f Aggregated hyphal mass g mycelial block h Candidate groups of inoculum i. Selected strains for inoculation j Discarded spawn k Spawn for test cultivation after inoculation m Culture information n Growth information o Culture results p Growth performance q Performance judgment results r Exhaust culture air s Culture air u exhaust v outside air w Constant temperature water surface x Circulating constant temperature water

Claims

1. A solid matter removal process for removing solid matter from the culture medium used for deep culture. A deep culture process to produce mushroom spawn by inoculating the culture medium used for deep culture from which solid matter has been removed in the above process with spawn to be used for mass production of mushrooms, and deep culturing the mycelium in an arbitrary number of deep culture tanks. A mycelial mass production process in which mycelial masses are produced by taking out mycelial masses from the culture medium after deep culture in the above process, for each deep culture tank, A process for creating aggregated mycelial masses and adjusting the moisture content of the mycelial masses, which involves compressing the mycelial masses produced in the above process to create aggregated mycelial masses. A mycelial block creation step, in which individual mycelia within the aggregate mycelial mass created in the above step are fused together to create a single mycelial block, A low-temperature or frozen storage step is performed, in which the mycelial blocks produced in the above step are stored at a low temperature or frozen in each deep culture tank. In the cultivation test step, a portion of the aggregated mycelial mass created in the aggregated mycelial mass creation and moisture content adjustment step is taken and subjected to a predetermined treatment, and the mycelium is inoculated as a spawn in a test cultivation container, which is then placed in the test cultivation apparatus, and a cultivation test is conducted for each deep culture tank, and the performance of the spawn is evaluated by observing the culture and growth status of the spawn. A performance evaluation step in which the superiority or inferiority of the spawn is determined based on the evaluation results of the cultivation test conducted in the above step, In the above-mentioned process, spawn that is judged to be of superior quality based on the performance evaluation of the spawn is selected from the spawn stored at low temperature or frozen in the low-temperature or frozen storage process, and is determined to be liquid spawn for inoculation into mushroom cultivation containers and shipped out in a spawn selection and shipping process. It consists of the following processes: A method for producing liquid mushroom spawn, characterized by carrying out cultivation testing and performance evaluation processes within the storage period of a low-temperature or frozen storage process to produce spawn for inoculation into mushroom cultivation containers whose performance has been confirmed.

2. The method for producing liquid mushroom spawn according to claim 1, characterized in that the test cultivation apparatus used in the cultivation test process is equipped with a constant temperature water supply and circulation device, and the cultivation test is carried out in an environment maintained at a test culture temperature of 13 to 22°C using circulating water and a test growth temperature of 13 to 19°C using circulating water.

3. A means for removing solid matter from a culture medium used in deep tissue culture, A deep culture means for producing mushroom spawn by inoculating a culture medium used for deep culture from which solid matter has been removed by the above means, and deep culturing the mycelium in an arbitrary number of deep culture tanks, A mycelial mass production means for producing mycelial masses by taking out mycelial masses from the culture medium after deep culture by the above means for each deep culture tank, A means for creating aggregated mycelial masses by compressing the mycelial masses produced by the above means and adjusting the moisture content of the mycelial masses, A mycelial block creation means for creating a mycelial block by fusing individual mycelia within the aggregate mycelial mass created by the above means, A low-temperature or frozen storage means for storing the mycelial blocks prepared by the above means at a low temperature or frozen in each deep culture tank, A cultivation test means for evaluating the performance of the inoculum by observing the culture and growth status of the inoculum, and by placing test cultivation containers in a test cultivation apparatus, inoculating test containers with mycelium obtained by taking a portion of the aggregated mycelium mass created by the aggregated mycelium mass creation and moisture content adjustment means and subjecting them to a predetermined treatment, and conducting cultivation tests in each deep culture tank, and observing the culture and growth status of the inoculum, A performance determination means for determining the superiority or inferiority of the spawn based on the evaluation results of the cultivation test prepared by the aforementioned means, A spawn selection and shipping means that selects spawn that are judged to be superior based on the performance evaluation of the spawn carried out by the above means from the spawn stored at low temperature or frozen using the low temperature or frozen storage means, determines them to be liquid spawn to be inoculated into mushroom cultivation containers, and ships them; It consists of, A system for producing liquid mushroom spawn, characterized by carrying out cultivation tests conducted by a cultivation testing means and performance evaluations conducted by a performance evaluation means within a storage period carried out by a low-temperature or frozen storage means, thereby producing spawn for inoculation into mushroom cultivation containers whose performance has been confirmed.

4. The production system for liquid mushroom spawn according to claim 3, characterized in that the test cultivation apparatus constituting the cultivation test means is equipped with a constant temperature water supply circulation device, and the cultivation test is carried out in an environment maintained at a test culture temperature of 13 to 22°C using circulating water and a test growth temperature of 13 to 19°C using circulating water.

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