Mushroom leather production method and production system

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a production method and a production system for mushroom leather.　The present invention provides a production method for mushroom leather, the method including prescribed steps.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and system for producing mushroom leather from mushroom mycelium. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when mushrooms such as Maitake and Enokitake are produced using a mushroom medium at mushroom farms, there is a problem that a large amount of waste medium is generated after the mushrooms are harvested. Normally, such waste medium is disposed of, but since mushroom medium is prepared by adding nutrients such as rice bran and wheat bran to a base material such as sawdust or corn cobs, techniques have been proposed to reuse the mushroom medium as fertilizer or feed, and examples of this type of technique include the feed and its manufacturing method described in Patent Document 1 and the waste medium processing method described in Patent Document 2.

[0003] The manufacturing method described in Patent Document 1 aims to produce feed that can be safely given to livestock at the lowest possible cost. Specifically, the main ingredient is waste material from a mushroom culture medium made using corncob meal as a base material, with a moisture content of 10-60%, and 20-40 parts by weight of rice bran and 1-5 parts by weight of Nippon Kokaen Environmental Bacteria (product name), which contains fermentation bacteria mainly consisting of Bacillus bacteria and lactic acid bacteria, are added per 100 parts by weight of the solid content of the main ingredient. After stirring and mixing for a predetermined period of time, the mixture is dried to adjust the moisture content to 14% or less. Furthermore, the processing method described in Patent Document 1 is intended to reliably prevent adverse effects of waste culture medium on the natural world, contribute to environmental protection, and be easy and low-cost to implement; specifically, waste culture medium after cultivation of mushrooms, particularly Nimbosoma phalloides, is placed in a sterilization vessel and sterilized by heating the waste culture medium in a high-temperature environment of 100°C or higher for 30 minutes or more, and the sterilized and dried waste culture medium can be reused as feed, fertilizer, soil, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-29125 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-51939 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques for reusing waste culture media have the following problems to be solved.

[0006] That is, the conventional technology for recycling waste culture media mainly uses it as feed or fertilizer, so it is necessary to carry out necessary processing for converting the waste culture media into feed or fertilizer, and there is a drawback that it cannot be used directly. As a result, the implementation of the processing process is difficult, and since there are many alternative products for feed and fertilizer, the usefulness of the feed and fertilizer obtained from the waste culture media is not necessarily high, so there has been a demand for practical application of recycling technology that increases the added value and commercial effectiveness of the products.

[0007] Meanwhile, mushroom leather, which uses the mycelium of mushrooms, has also been proposed. As mushroom leather does not directly use animal leather, it is environmentally friendly from the standpoint of sustainability and has been attracting attention in recent years. However, the reality is that it has not necessarily been established as a sufficient production technology from the standpoint of ensuring practical productivity and increasing cost benefits.

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a method and system for producing mushroom leather that solves the problems existing in the background art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the method for producing mushroom leather according to the present invention includes a mushroom bed preparation step Pm for obtaining a mushroom bed material 2 prepared from unused virgin material 2v of a mushroom culture medium, waste medium 2r used for mushroom cultivation, or a mixture of these materials, a mushroom bed base preparation step Ph for preparing a mushroom bed base 3 for cultivating the mycelium Hy from the mushroom bed material 2 obtained in the mushroom bed preparation step Pm, and a cultivation step Ph for cultivating the mycelium Hy under a predetermined culture environment and for a predetermined culture period. The method comprises a mycelium cultivation process Pc in which mycelium Hy is cultivated on a fungal bed base body 3 through the above process, and the mycelium Hy spreading over the surface 3f of the fungal bed base body 3 is cultivated until a mycelium layer 4 having a first layer thickness Df is obtained; a mycelium layer separation process Pd in ​​which the mycelium layer 4 obtained in the mycelium cultivation process Pc is separated from the fungal bed base body 3; and a post-treatment process Py including a sheet material formation process Pyo in which a sheet material Lo having a second layer thickness Ds is formed from the mycelium layer 4d after separation obtained in the mycelium layer separation process Pd.

[0010] In this case, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the waste medium 2r can be a waste medium collected from a mushroom farmer Fm that cultivates mushrooms. In addition, in the fungal bed base body preparation step Ph, a flat tray-shaped culture tool 11 can be used to prepare the fungal bed base body 3, and in the case where the preliminary culture step described later is not provided, a seed fungus inoculation step Pi can be included in which a mushroom seed fungus is inoculated into the fungal bed base body 3. The seed fungus may be a solid seed fungus or a liquid seed fungus. On the other hand, the post-treatment step Py can include a drying step Pyd in which the mycelium layer 4d obtained in the mycelium layer separation step Pd is dried, and a backing material attachment step Ps in which a backing material 12 is attached to one side Lor of the sheet material Lo. Furthermore, the post-treatment step Py can include a second processing step Pys in which the fungal bed base body 3 from which the mycelium layer 4d has been separated in the mycelium layer separation step Pd is processed into a second product 3g. On the other hand, between the culture bed preparation step Pm and the culture bed base body creation step Ph, a preliminary culture step Pf is provided in which the culture bed material 2 obtained in the culture bed preparation step Pm is inoculated with mushroom spawn and the inoculated culture bed material 2 is pre-cultured, and the culture bed material 2f after the preliminary culture step Pf can be used to create the culture bed base body 3 in the culture bed base body creation step Ph. The preliminary culture step Pf can be performed using a bagged medium.

[0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the mushroom leather production system 1 according to the present invention, in configuring a production system for producing mushroom leather from mushroom mycelium Hy, comprises a database Bdi in which information relating to a headquarters Fc, one or more commercialization businesses Fs..., and one or more mushroom cultivators Fm... is set, a communication line N which connects the headquarters Fc, the commercialization businesses Fs..., and the mushroom cultivators Fm... so that they can communicate with each other, a transmission means Nt which transmits to the headquarters Fc or the commercialization businesses Fs... information that the mushroom cultivators Fm... have generated waste medium 2r after cultivating mushrooms, a receiving means Nr which the headquarters Fc or the commercialization businesses Fs... receive the transmission from the transmission means Nt, a recovery means Ac by which the commercialization businesses Fs... recover the waste medium 2r received by the receiving means Nr, and unused virgin material 2v or The mushroom leather production method comprises a mushroom bed preparation process Pm for obtaining a mushroom bed material 2 prepared from waste medium 2r used in mushroom cultivation or a mixture thereof, a mushroom bed base preparation process Ph for preparing a mushroom bed base body 3 for cultivating mycelium Hy using the mushroom bed material 2 obtained in the mushroom bed preparation process Pm, a mycelium cultivation process Pc for cultivating mycelium Hy in the mushroom bed base body 3 under a specified cultivation environment and for a specified cultivation period, and culturing the mycelium Hy spreading on the surface 3f of the mushroom bed base body 3 until a mycelium layer 4 having a first layer thickness Df is obtained, a mycelium layer separation process Pd for separating the mycelium layer 4 obtained in the mycelium cultivation process Pc from the mushroom bed base body 3, and a sheet material formation process Pyo for forming a sheet material Lo having a second layer thickness Ds from the mycelium layer 4 obtained after separation in the mycelium layer separation process Pd.

[0012] In this case, depending on a preferred embodiment of the invention, the headquarters Fc and the commercialization business Fs may be different entities, or the headquarters Fc may serve as a part or all of the commercialization business Fs. Similarly, the mushroom farmer Fm may serve as a part or all of the commercialization business Fs. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the mushroom leather production method and production system 1 of the present invention, the following remarkable effects are achieved.

[0014] (1) The production method for mushroom leather basically comprises a mushroom bed preparation process Pm for obtaining a mushroom bed material 2 prepared from unused virgin mushroom culture medium 2v, waste culture medium 2r used for mushroom cultivation, or a mixture of these materials, as well as a post-processing process Py including a mushroom bed base body creation process Ph, a mycelium cultivation process Pc for obtaining a mycelium layer 4 having a first layer thickness Df, a mycelium layer separation process Pd, and a sheet material formation process Pyo for forming a sheet material Lo having a second layer thickness Ds. Therefore, the production method for mushroom leather can be established as a sufficient production technology from the standpoint of ensuring practical productivity of mushroom leather and increasing cost benefits.

[0015] (2) The mushroom leather production method makes it possible to directly reuse waste culture medium 2r and can be constructed as a production system 1 including a headquarters Fc, one or more product development business operators Fs…, and one or more mushroom cultivators Fm…. Therefore, it can be established as a reuse technology that increases the added value and commercial usefulness of mushroom culture medium and can effectively contribute to improving sustainability.

[0016] (3) In a preferred embodiment, waste medium 2r collected from a mushroom farm Fm that cultivates mushrooms can be used as waste medium 2r. This makes it possible to collect and reuse waste medium 2r that is no longer needed at the mushroom farm Fm, thereby effectively contributing to improving the reuse (effective utilization) of resources and improving the economic efficiency of the mushroom farm Fm.

[0017] (4) In a preferred embodiment, in the mushroom bed base preparation process Ph, a covering material is placed on the surface of the mushroom bed base body 3, which makes it easier to separate the resulting mycelium layer (first product) from the surface of the mushroom bed material 2r, thereby contributing to ease of production.

[0018] (5) In a preferred embodiment, in the culture bed base body creation process Ph, a flat tray-shaped culture tool 11 is used to create the culture bed base body 3. This makes it possible to carry out the process by using the culture tool 11, which has a relatively simple shape and can be manufactured inexpensively, thereby contributing to ease of production and low cost.

[0019] (6) In a preferred embodiment, the culture bed base preparation process Ph includes a seed inoculation process Pi in which mushroom seed is inoculated into the culture bed base body 3. This eliminates the need for a preliminary culture process, thereby simplifying the production process and reducing production costs and improving productivity.

[0020] (7) In a preferred embodiment, when using a seed culture, a solid seed culture or a liquid seed culture may be used, and different seed culture types can be used depending on the type of mycelium Hy, the production environment, and the like, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in constructing a production system.

[0021] (8) In a preferred embodiment, the post-treatment process Py includes a drying process Pyd for drying the mycelium layer 4d obtained in the mycelium layer separation process Pd. In addition to obtaining a sheet material Lo having a second layer thickness Ds from the mycelium layer 4d having a first layer thickness Df, the drying process Pyd can be used to add necessary added value.

[0022] (9) In a preferred embodiment, a lining material attachment process Ps is included in which a lining material 12 is attached to one side Lor of the sheet material Lo. This makes it possible to change (adjust) the characteristics (properties) of the sheet material Lo, such as its tensile strength and flatness, thereby further improving its quality and performance as leather.

[0023] (10) In a preferred embodiment, the post-treatment step Py includes a second treatment step Pys in which the culture bed base body 3 from which the mycelium layer 4d has been separated by the mycelium layer separation step Pd is processed into a second product 3g. This makes it possible to reuse the culture bed base body 3 as the second product 3g, such as a panel material, thereby contributing to more effective use of resources.

[0024] (11) In a preferred embodiment, between the mushroom bed preparation process Pm and the mushroom bed base body creation process Ph, a preliminary culture process Pf is provided in which the mushroom bed material 2 obtained in the mushroom bed preparation process Pm is inoculated with mushroom seed culture and the inoculated mushroom bed material 2 is pre-cultured. The mushroom bed material 2f obtained after the preliminary culture process Pf is used to create the mushroom bed base body 3 in the mushroom bed base body creation process Ph. In other words, preliminary culture (primary culture) can be performed before the mycelium culture process Pc in which main culture (secondary culture) is performed. This makes it possible to perform efficient and highly homogeneous culture in a culture environment suitable for the growth stage of the culture process.

[0025] (12) In a preferred embodiment, the preliminary culture step Pf is carried out using a bagged medium, whereby the culture treatment can be carried out using a culture method suitable for the preliminary culture step Pf.

[0026] (13) In a preferred embodiment, when implementing the production system 1, if the headquarters Fc and the product developer Fs are implemented by different entities, it will be possible to diversify the business, for example by building a franchise-based business model.

[0027] (14) In a preferred embodiment, when implementing the production system 1, the headquarters Fc can serve as part or all of the product development business operator Fs, which allows at least some of the related work to be performed by the headquarters Fc, thereby enabling more efficient business management.

[0028] (15) In a preferred embodiment, when implementing the production system 1, if the mushroom farm Fm also serves as part or all of the product development business Fs, at least some of the related work can be carried out by a single mushroom farm Fm, making it possible to carry out agricultural management with higher added value.

[0029] (15) In a preferred embodiment, the mushroom leather L includes a mycelium layer 4 made of mushroom mycelium and a coating provided on a part or the whole of one side of the mycelium layer 4, and no other layer is interposed between the mycelium layer 4 and the coating. By having the mushroom leather L in this configuration, a mycelium layer 4 having a smooth surface can be obtained. In addition, by attaching a backing material 12 to the surface of the coating, the sheet material Lo and the backing material 12 can be easily adhered to each other. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overview of a method for producing mushroom leather according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] A flow chart showing the steps of the pretreatment process and preliminary culture process in the production method in order. [Diagram 3] A flow chart showing the steps of the main processing and post-processing in the production method in order; [Figure 4] A process diagram for explaining the step of preparing a fungal bed base and the step of cultivating mycelium in the production method; [Diagram 5] A process diagram showing a fungal bed base body infested with mycelium layers by the same production method; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a process diagram for explaining a mycelium layer separation step for separating the mycelium layer from the culture bed base body according to the production method; [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a process diagram for explaining the first processing step according to the production method; [Figure 8] A process diagram for explaining the backing material attachment process according to the same production method; [Figure 9] A process diagram for explaining a second product in a second processing step by the same production method; [Figure 10] An overall system diagram of a mushroom leather production system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0032] First, a method for producing mushroom leather according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9.

[0033] The overall production steps of the mushroom leather production method are outlined in a block diagram in Figure 1. As shown in the figure, the mushroom leather production steps are roughly divided into a pre-treatment process Pw, a preliminary culture process Pf, a main treatment process Px, and a post-treatment process Py.

[0034] More specific processing steps of the pretreatment process Pw and the preliminary culture process Pf are shown in a flowchart in Figure 2. Specific processing steps of the pretreatment process Pw and the preliminary culture process Pf will be described below in order according to the flowchart.

[0035] The pretreatment process Pw includes, as its basic functions, a culture bed preparation process Pm for preparing a culture bed material 2 for cultivating the mycelium Hy and preparing a seed culture 5 for obtaining the mycelium Hy.

[0036] First, the necessary medium materials for preparing the fungal bed material (mushroom culture medium) 2 are prepared (Step S1). The fungal bed material 2 is not limited to a specific medium material, and it is sufficient to prepare medium materials suitable for the mycelium Hy to be cultured, specifically, general medium materials necessary for mushroom cultivation such as sawdust, rice bran, water, and nutrients. When preparing the fungal bed material 2, unused virgin mushroom culture medium material 2v, waste culture medium 2r after mushroom cultivation, or a mixture of these materials can be used, as shown in Figure 1.

[0037] In this case, it is desirable to mix the waste medium 2r with the unused virgin material 2v in a predetermined ratio; however, since it is possible that the waste medium 2r is not available due to seasonal conditions, etc., this does not exclude the case where only the unused virgin material 2v is used (step S2).

[0038] On the other hand, the waste medium 2r can be a waste medium collected from a mushroom farm Fm that cultivates mushrooms (steps S3, S4). By using such a waste medium 2r, the waste medium 2r that is no longer needed at the mushroom farm Fm can be collected and reused, which has the advantage of effectively contributing to improving the reuse (effective use) of resources and improving the economic efficiency of the mushroom farm Fm.

[0039] Then, the prepared unused virgin material 2v and waste medium 2r are mixed in a predetermined ratio and mixed by stirring or the like so as to distribute them evenly (step S5). This allows the desired culture bed material 2 to be obtained. This completes the culture bed preparation process Pm.

[0040] Next, the process proceeds to a preliminary culture step Pf. This preliminary culture step Pf functions as a preliminary culture treatment performed on the seed culture 5 before the main culture. Therefore, it is not an essential step, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, after the completion of the culture bed preparation step Pm, it is also possible to proceed to the main treatment step Px without performing this preliminary culture step Pf (step S6).

[0041] However, if a preliminary culture process Pf is provided between the mushroom bed preparation process Pm and the mushroom bed base body creation process Ph, in which the mushroom bed material 2 obtained in the mushroom bed preparation process Pm is inoculated with mushroom seed culture and the inoculated mushroom bed material 2 is pre-cultured, and the mushroom bed material 2f after this preliminary culture process Pf is used to create the mushroom bed base body 3 in the mushroom bed base body creation process Ph, then it is possible to carry out preliminary culture (primary culture) before the mycelium culture process Pc in which the main culture (secondary culture) is carried out, thereby enabling efficient and highly homogeneous culture to be carried out in a culture environment suitable for the growth stage of the culture process.

[0042] When the preliminary culture step Pf is performed, as shown in FIG. 2, a bagging step is first performed in which the fungal bed material 2 obtained in the fungal bed preparation step Pm is filled into, for example, a commercially available general fungal bed culture bag (step S7). In this way, if the preliminary culture step Pf is performed using a bagged medium, there is an advantage that the culture treatment can be performed by a culture method suitable for the preliminary culture step Pf. Note that although the bagged cultivation method using a fungal bed culture bag is exemplified, a binning step using a bottle cultivation method using a mushroom cultivation bottle may also be used. Then, the culture bag filled with the fungal bed material 2 is subjected to a heat sterilization treatment in a sterilization step, and then to a cooling treatment in a cooling step (steps S8, S9).

[0043] After this, the prepared mushroom seed 5 is inoculated into the culture bed material 2 filled in the culture bag after the cooling treatment (step S10). The type of mushroom is not particularly limited, and various types of mushrooms such as "Bunashimeji", "Ganoderma lucidum", "Kuritake", "Flamenokitake", "Maitake", "Shiitake", and "Mukitake" can be used, and can be selected in consideration of the product grade of the mushroom leather, productivity, production costs, etc.

[0044] The seed culture 5 used may be a solid seed culture or a liquid seed culture. As described above, the seed culture 5 may be either a solid seed culture or a liquid seed culture, and different seed culture types can be used depending on the type of mycelium Hy, the production environment, and the like, which increases the degree of freedom in constructing a production system.

[0045] Next, the culture bag after the inoculation process is placed in a culture room and subjected to a preliminary culture process (primary culture process) (step S11). This preliminary culture process is performed under a predetermined culture environment and for a culture period (e.g., about two weeks). Then, when the culture period has elapsed, the preliminary culture process Pf ends (step S12). Upon completion of the preliminary culture process Pf, the process proceeds to the next step, the main process Px.

[0046] FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing more specific processing steps of the main processing process Px and the post-processing process Py, and FIGS. 4 to 9 are specific explanatory diagrams for making each processing step easier to understand.

[0047] Hereinafter, the main processing step Px and the post-processing step Py will be described in sequence according to the flowchart with reference to FIGS.

[0048] In this treatment process Px, first, a fungal bed base preparation process Ph is carried out to prepare a fungal bed base 3 for main culture (secondary culture) of the mycelium Hy from the fungal bed material 2f obtained in the above-mentioned preliminary culture process Pf (step S21).

[0049] The bacterial bed base preparation process Ph is performed using a flat tray-shaped culture jig 11, as shown in Fig. 4(a). Specifically, the bacterial bed material 2r taken out from the culture bag is placed in the jig body 11m, which is open upward, so as to have a uniform thickness, and the jig body 11m after placement is covered with a cover 11r shown in Fig. 4(a) to close it. As a result, the culture jig 11 is set in an airtight state, as shown in Fig. 4(b).

[0050] In the bacteria bed base body creating step Ph, if necessary, a covering material may or may not be placed on the surface of the bacteria bed material 2r housed inside the jig body 11m (on the opening side of the jig body 11m). When the steps subsequent to the main culture treatment described below are carried out with such a covering placed, the obtained mycelium layer (first product) becomes easy to separate from the surface of the fungal bed material 2r. In this embodiment, the mycelium penetrates from the fungal bed material 2r to the covering and forms a mycelium layer on the surface of the covering (the side opposite to the fungal bed material 2r).

[0051] The covering material is not particularly limited as long as it does not inhibit the growth and elongation of the mycelium and has micropores through which the mycelium can penetrate. Fabrics made from natural fibers (cotton, silk, linen, etc.) Chemical fiber (polyester, polyethylene, etc.) fabric -Metal mesh (stainless steel, steel, aluminum, etc.) Powdery materials with an average particle size of 0.01 to 5.00 mm (corn cobs, coffee grounds, tea grounds, etc.)

[0052] When the covering is a cloth or mesh, its size is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set depending on the shape and size of the mycelium layer to be obtained. When the covering is a cloth or mesh, its thickness is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.1 to 1.0 mm.

[0053] When the covering is a mesh, the mesh size is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.1 to 2.0 mm.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the covering material is preferably a cotton cloth or a polyester cloth, from the viewpoint of particularly facilitating separation of the mycelium layer.

[0055] In the bacteria bed base body preparation process Ph, the bacteria bed material 2r is stored flat inside the jig body 11m, so that the bacteria bed material 2r inside is molded into a flat panel shape by the inner wall surface of the jig body 11m. As a result, as shown in Figure 6(c), the bacteria bed base body 3 is formed whose overall shape is molded into the jig body 11m.

[0056] The illustrated culture tool 11 was originally produced using a transparent plastic material. The use of such a flat tray-shaped culture tool 11 has an advantage of contributing to ease of production and low cost, since it is possible to implement the invention by using the culture tool 11 that has a relatively simple shape and can be produced at low cost.

[0057] In the embodiment, in order to show a production example that goes through the preliminary culture process Pf, the mushroom bed material 2r is already inoculated with the seed culture 5 and the mycelium Hy is in a state where it has grown appropriately, but as mentioned above, it is also possible to omit the preliminary culture process Pf.

[0058] Therefore, when the preliminary culture step Pf is omitted, the uninoculated bacterial bed material 2 obtained by the above-mentioned pretreatment step Pw is placed in the culture tool 11 (step SE1), as shown by the dotted line block in Fig. 3. Then, the bacterial bed material 2 placed in the culture tool 11 is subjected to a sterilization step (including a cooling step) similar to the above-mentioned preliminary culture step Pf (step SE2). After this, a seed inoculation step is performed in which the seed bacteria 5 is inoculated onto the upper surface side of the bacterial bed material 2 placed in the tool body 11m (step SE3).

[0059] In this way, if the culture bed base preparation process Ph includes a seed inoculation process Pi in which mushroom seed culture is inoculated into the culture bed base body 3, there is no need to perform a preliminary cultivation process in advance, which has the advantage of simplifying the production process, thereby reducing production costs and improving productivity.

[0060] The culture tool 11 containing the fungal bed material 2r or 2 obtained in the fungal bed base preparation process Ph is placed in a predetermined culture chamber under environmental control to carry out a mycelium culture process Pc by main culture treatment (secondary culture treatment) (step S22). This main culture treatment is carried out for a predetermined culture period. In this main culture process, the mycelium Hy is cultured using the fungal bed base 3, so that the mycelium Hy spreads over the surface 3f of the fungal bed base 3. As a result, a mycelium layer 4 having a predetermined layer thickness is formed on the surface 3f of the fungal bed base 3. When the layer thickness of the mycelium layer 4 reaches a first layer thickness Df of, for example, about 2-3 [mm], the main culture treatment is terminated (step S23). The culture period of the main culture treatment is, for example, about 1-2 months.

[0061] If no covering material is placed on the surface of the culture bed material 2r in the culture bed base body preparation process Ph, a covering material may or may not be placed on the surface 3f of the culture bed base body 3 at the start of the mycelium cultivation process Pc, as necessary.

[0062] When the mycelium culture step Pc is completed, the culture substrate Gm shown in FIG. 5, in which the mycelium layer 4 is formed on the surface 3f of the culture bed base body 3, is taken out from the culture jig 11 (step S24). Next, as shown in FIG. 6(a), a mycelium layer separation step Pd is performed to separate the mycelium layer 4 from the culture bed base body 3 in the culture substrate Gm (step S25). In this case, the mycelium layer 4 can be separated by peeling it off from the upper surface 3f of the culture bed base body 3. This provides two product substrates: the mycelium layer 4d having the first layer thickness Df shown in FIG. 6(b) and the culture bed base body 3d shown in FIG. 6(c). This completes the main treatment step Px, and the process then proceeds to the post-treatment step Py.

[0063] In the fungal bed base preparation step Ph, when a covering material is placed, it becomes easy to separate the mycelium layer 4 from the fungal bed base 3. This is because no components derived from the culture substrate Gm remain in the mycelium layer 4, and the mycelium layer 4 and the fungal bed base 3 can be easily separated via the covering material. Therefore, in this embodiment, the labor required for removing components derived from the culture substrate Gm can be reduced.

[0064] When a covering material is placed in the fungal bed base preparation process Ph, the covering material is usually attached to the surface (the side that was in contact with the fungal bed base 3) of the mycelium layer 4 separated from the fungal bed base 3. The surface to which the coating is applied usually maintains the shape of the coating itself, so that, for example, when the coating is a cloth, a mycelium layer 4 having a smooth surface can be obtained. In addition, since the surface of the mycelium layer 4 and the covering material are in close contact with each other via the elongated mycelium, no adhesive or the like is usually present between them.

[0065] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the post-processing process Py includes a first processing process Pyf in which the mycelium layer 4d is manufactured into a first product, mushroom leather L, and a second processing process Pys in which the mushroom bed base body 3d is manufactured into a second product 3g, such as a panel.

[0066] In the first treatment step Pyf, the obtained mycelium layer 4d is subjected to an intermediate treatment including a cleaning treatment for removing foreign matter, dirt, odor, etc. (Step S26).

[0067] The first processing step Pyf includes at least a drying step Pyd (step S27). This drying step Pyd makes it possible to obtain a sheet material Lo having a second layer thickness Ds (for example, about 1 mm) shown in FIG. 7(b) from the mycelium layer 4d having the first layer thickness Df shown in FIG. 7(a). In this way, if the post-processing step Py includes a drying step Pyd for drying the mycelium layer 4d obtained in the mycelium layer separation step Pd, it is possible to obtain a sheet material Lo having a second layer thickness Ds from the mycelium layer 4d having the first layer thickness Df, and to add necessary added value by using the drying step Pyd. In addition, necessary processing such as pressing can be included.

[0068] Furthermore, a lining material attaching step Ps is performed in which a lining material 12 is attached to one side (back side) of the sheet material Lo (step S28). In the lining material attaching step Ps, as shown in Fig. 8(a), a lining material 12 formed of, for example, a cotton sheet, which is a natural fiber, is attached to the back side Lor of the sheet material Lo. This allows the desired mushroom leather L, which is the first product, to be obtained as shown in Fig. 8(b). In attaching the backing material 12, a conventionally known adhesive (for example, vinyl acetate resin, ethylene, vinyl acetate resin, etc.) may be used as appropriate.

[0069] By providing such a lining material attachment process Ps, the characteristics (properties) of the sheet material Lo, such as the tensile strength and flatness, can be changed (adjusted), thereby improving the quality and performance of the leather. The mushroom leather L thus obtained can then be used as parts for wallets, shoes, etc., as so-called leather products, through processing steps such as cutting and gluing (step S29).

[0070] When a covering material is placed in the bacteria bed base body creating step Ph, the work of attaching the lining material 12 in the lining material attaching step Ps becomes easy. This is because the sheet material Lo in this embodiment has a covering attached to one side thereof, and by attaching the backing material 12 to the surface of the covering, the sheet material Lo and the backing material 12 can be easily adhered to each other.

[0071] The first product includes the following aspects. (Mode-1) Mushroom leather in which a lining material 12 is attached to one side of a sheet material Lo via an adhesive or the like. (Mode 2) Mushroom leather with a covering on one side of the sheet material Lo (Mode 3) Mushroom leather in which a covering is provided on one side of a sheet material Lo and a lining material 12 is attached to the surface of the covering via an adhesive or the like.

[0072] In each of the above embodiments, the sheet material Lo corresponds to a mycelium layer consisting of mushroom mycelium.

[0073] In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, in the above (Embodiment-2) and (Embodiment-3), no other layer (adhesive or the like) is interposed between the sheet material Lo and the covering.

[0074] On the other hand, in the second treatment step Pys, the fungal bed base body 3d shown in Fig. 6(c) can be manufactured as the second product 3g. The fungal bed base body 3d has mycelium Hy densely spread throughout it, and is as hard as a wooden board, so the fungal bed base body 3d obtained after separation in the mycelium layer separation step Pd can be used as the second product 3g.

[0075] In the second treatment step Pys, the fungal bed base body 3d obtained from the mycelium layer separation step Pd can be additionally cultured if necessary (step S30). Additional culture is not an essential step, but since the mycelium Hy is in a viable state, additional culture can be used to increase the mycelium Hy. Then, the fungal bed base body 3d that has been additionally cultured or the fungal bed base body 3d that has not been additionally cultured is subjected to necessary intermediate treatment such as cleaning to remove foreign matter, dirt, odors, etc. (step S31). The fungal bed base body 3d that has been subjected to intermediate treatment is dried in a drying step (step S32).

[0076] Thereafter, the obtained culture bed base body 3d can be used as a second product 3g such as an exterior wall panel material by performing necessary cutting and surface treatment in a processing step (step S33). Figures 9(a) and (b) show an example in which the outer shape is processed and the surface is treated with painting or the like to be used as a panel material for a decorative panel or the like.

[0077] In this way, by including the second treatment process Pys, the culture bed base body 3 from which the mycelium layer 4d has been separated by the mycelium layer separation process Pd can be reused as a second product 3g such as a panel material, which has the advantage of contributing to more effective utilization of resources.

[0078] Therefore, according to the method for producing mushroom leather according to this embodiment, the basic steps include a mushroom bed preparation step Pm for obtaining a mushroom bed material 2 prepared from unused virgin material 2v of a mushroom culture medium, waste medium 2r after mushroom cultivation, or a mixture of these materials, a mushroom bed base preparation step Ph for preparing a mushroom bed base 3 for cultivating mycelium Hy using the mushroom bed material 2 obtained in the mushroom bed preparation step Pm, and a mushroom bed base preparation step Ph for cultivating mycelium Hy using the mushroom bed base 3 under a predetermined culture environment and for a culture period, and cultivating mycelium Hy on the surface 3 of the mushroom bed base 3. The present invention provides a mycelium culture process Pc in which mycelium Hy spreading over mushroom bed f is cultured until a mycelium layer 4 having a first layer thickness Df is obtained, a mycelium layer separation process Pd in ​​which the mycelium layer 4 obtained in the mycelium culture process Pc is separated from the fungal bed base body 3, and a post-treatment process Py including a sheet material formation process Pyo in which a sheet material Lo having a second layer thickness Ds is formed from the mycelium layer 4d after separation obtained in the mycelium layer separation process Pd. This ensures practical productivity of mushroom leather and can be established as a sufficient production technology from the standpoint of increasing cost benefits.

[0079] Moreover, the waste culture medium 2r can be directly reused, and can be constructed as a production system 1 including the headquarters Fc, one or more product development businesses Fs..., and one or more mushroom cultivators Fm.... This can be established as a reuse technology that increases the added value and commercial usefulness of mushroom culture medium, and can also effectively contribute to improving sustainability.

[0080] Next, the mushroom leather production system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 shows an overall system diagram of the production system 1.

[0081] This production system 1 includes a communication line N that connects a headquarters Fc, one or more commercialization businesses Fs, and one or more mushroom cultivators Fm so that they can communicate with each other. In the example shown, the Internet is used as the communication line N.

[0082] The headquarters Fc is provided with a server computer 51, which is connected to the Internet N and configured to be accessible. The server computer 51 can be configured as a general computer system, and is provided with necessary peripheral devices such as a display and a keyboard, and the attached external memory 52 is provided with a program area 52p and a data area 52d. In this case, the program area 52p stores at least an application program 52pa for operating the entire production system 1 according to this embodiment, and the data area 52d stores various data such as a transaction-related database 52dx, a production-related database 52dy, and a quality control-related database 52dz. That is, each of these databases 52dx... functions as a database Bdi that sets information related to the headquarters Fc, one or more commercialization businesses Fs..., and one or more mushroom cultivators Fm....

[0083] In the production system 1 in Fig. 10, two commercialization businesses Fs, Fs are illustrated, and each commercialization business Fs is composed of a producer Fs1 and a processor Fs2. In this case, the producer Fs1 constitutes a mushroom leather production means Am capable of implementing the mushroom leather production method according to the present embodiment, and can implement the three processes of the pre-treatment process Pw, the preliminary culture process Pf, and the main treatment process Px, while the processor Fs2 can implement the post-treatment process Py. Thus, the roles can be arbitrarily divided according to the production facilities and production environment owned.

[0084] The product development businesses Fs, that is, in the example shown, the producer Fs1 and the processor Fs2, are each equipped with terminal computers 55 and 56 using a personal computer, smartphone, etc., and these terminal computers 55 and 56 are connected to the Internet N, making them accessible to the headquarters Fc and one or more mushroom cultivators Fm...

[0085] Meanwhile, FIG. 10 shows three mushroom farms Fm... as examples. Each mushroom farm Fm... may be a typical individual farm, or a large-scale corporate management type. Each mushroom farm Fm... is pre-registered in the transaction-related database 52dx mentioned above. Each mushroom farm Fm has a terminal 57 using a personal computer, smartphone, etc., and by connecting this terminal 57 to the Internet (communication line) N, it becomes possible to access the headquarters Fc, or, in the example, the producer Fs1 (productization business operator Fs).

[0086] Therefore, the Internet N and the server computer 51, terminal computers 55 and 56, and terminal 57 connected to this Internet N include each means of the production system 1 in this embodiment, namely, a transmitting means Nt that transmits to the headquarters Fc or the product development company Fs... the information that the mushroom cultivators Fm... have generated waste medium 2r after cultivating mushrooms, a receiving means Nr that the headquarters Fc or the product development company Fs... receives the information transmitted by the transmitting means Nt, and a collecting means Ac by the product development company Fs... that has received the information via the receiving means Nr and collects the waste medium 2r.

[0087] The mushroom leather production system 1 according to this embodiment can be used, for example, as follows.

[0088] Now, assume that mushroom production has ended at an arbitrary mushroom farm Fm, and waste medium 2r has been generated. Based on this, the mushroom farm Fm transmits waste medium generation information, including the generation of waste medium 2r, to the headquarters Fc or the commercialization business operator Fs (producer Fs1) via the transmission means Nt. This waste medium generation information includes various information on the waste medium 2r, such as the type and components of the waste medium 2r, the amount generated, the date of generation, and the quality (pH and moisture content).

[0089] The headquarters Fc or the commercialization business operator Fs receives information that the mushroom farmer Fm has generated waste medium 2r by using the receiving means Nr. In response to this, the headquarters Fc or the commercialization business operator Fs transmits collection data, including various qualitative and quantitative information on the waste medium 2r, to the mushroom farmer Fm so that the mushroom farmer Fm can instruct various collection methods or select a collection method. The collection data and transmission process are functions of the collection means Ac.

[0090] As a result, the waste culture medium 2r is sent from the mushroom farmer Fm to the product developer Fs, who can then produce mushroom leather L using mushroom leather production means Am that can implement the mushroom leather production method described above.

[0091] That is, the desired mushroom leather L can be produced by the mushroom leather production means Am including a post-treatment step Py having a mushroom bed preparation step Pm for obtaining a mushroom bed material 2 prepared from unused virgin material 2v of a mushroom culture medium or waste medium 2r after use in mushroom cultivation, or a mixture of these, a mushroom bed base body preparation step Ph for preparing a mushroom bed base body 3 for cultivating mycelium Hy using the mushroom bed material 2 obtained in the mushroom bed preparation step Pm, a mycelium culture step Pc for cultivating mycelium Hy in the mushroom bed base body 3 under a specified culture environment and for a specified culture period, and culturing the mycelium Hy spreading on the surface 3f of the mushroom bed base body 3 until a mycelium layer 4 having a first layer thickness Df is obtained, a mycelium layer separation step Pd for separating the mycelium layer 4 obtained in the mycelium culture step Pc from the mushroom bed base body 3, and a sheet material formation step Pyo for forming a sheet material Lo having a second layer thickness Ds from the mycelium layer 4 after separation obtained in the mycelium layer separation step Pd.

[0092] Then, once the mushroom leather L has been obtained, the headquarters Fc can collect production-related data such as the corresponding production volume and quality control-related data such as the defective product rate from the commercialization business operator Fs, and register the data as databases in the production-related database 52dy and quality control-related database 52dz mentioned above.

[0093] Furthermore, since the implementation of this mushroom leather production system 1 is carried out in a series of steps through the cooperation of the headquarters Fc, one or more product commercialization businesses Fs..., and one or more mushroom farmers Fm..., it can be implemented in various forms, not just the embodiment described above as an example.

[0094] For example, in the above example, the production system 1 is implemented by a headquarters Fc and a commercialization business Fs in different modes. In this case, a franchise-based business model can be constructed, and the business can be diversified. On the other hand, the production system 1 can be implemented by a headquarters Fc that also serves as a part or all of the commercialization business Fs. In this case, at least some of the related work can be performed by the headquarters Fc, and therefore, efficient business management can be achieved. In addition, the production system 1 can be implemented by a mushroom farmer Fm that also serves as a part or all of the commercialization business Fs. In this case, at least some of the related work can be performed by one mushroom farmer Fm, and therefore, agricultural management with higher added value can be achieved.

[0095] Although the preferred embodiment has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and the detailed configuration, shape, material, quantity, numerical values, etc. can be changed, added, or deleted as desired without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0096] For example, the mushroom bed material 2 prepared in the mushroom bed preparation process Pm may be any one of unused virgin mushroom medium 2v, waste medium 2r used for mushroom cultivation, or a mixture of these, or a combination of these. In addition, the mushrooms to be applied are not limited to a specific type of mushroom, and various components and preparation conditions suitable for the mycelium of the mushroom to be cultured can be applied to the components and preparation conditions of the mushroom medium. Furthermore, the first layer thickness Df and the second layer thickness Ds shown as examples are only examples, and any layer thickness can be applied. On the other hand, it is preferable to use waste medium 2r collected from a mushroom farmer Fm that cultivates mushrooms, but this does not exclude waste medium 2r produced in various ways, such as cultivation in a dedicated factory. In addition, the form (shape) of the culture jig 11 shown as an example is only an example, and culture jigs 11 of various shapes and sizes can be applied. Furthermore, the backing material 12 attached to one side Lor of the sheet material Lo is optimally made of a natural fiber material, but other materials such as chemical fibers are not excluded, and it does not matter whether it is a soft material or a hard material. On the other hand, the communication line N in the production system 1 is exemplified as using the Internet, but it can be replaced by other means having similar functions, such as a dedicated line. Therefore, the sending means Nt, the receiving means Nr, and the collecting means Af can also be replaced by means having similar functions. [Industrial Applicability]

[0097] The production method and system of the present invention can be used to produce mushroom leather and various related products from the mycelium of various mushrooms. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1: Production system, 2: Bacteria bed material, 2r: Waste medium, 2v: Unused virgin material, 2f: Bacteria bed material after preliminary culture process, 3: Bacteria bed base, 3f: Surface of the bacteria bed base, 3r: Separated bacteria bed base, 4: Mycelium layer, 4d: Mycelium layer after separation, 11: Culture tool, 12: Lining material, L: Mushroom leather, Lo: Sheet material, Lor: One side of the sheet material, Hy: Mycelium, Pm: Bacteria bed preparation process, Ph: Bacteria bed base creation process, Pc: Mycelium culture process, Pd: Fungus Thread layer separation process, Py: post-treatment process, Pys: second treatment process, Pyo: sheet material formation process, Ps: lining material attachment process, Pi: seed fungus inoculation process, Pyd: drying process, Pf: preliminary culture process, Df: first layer thickness, Ds: second layer thickness, Fc: headquarters, Fs...: one or more product development companies, Fm...: one or more mushroom cultivation farmers, Bdi: database, N: communication line, Nt: transmission means, Nr: reception means, Ac: collection means, Am: mushroom leather production means

Claims

1. 1. A method for producing mushroom leather from mushroom mycelium, comprising: A mushroom bed preparation step of obtaining a mushroom bed material prepared from a waste medium used for mushroom cultivation or a mixture of unused virgin mushroom medium and a waste medium used for mushroom cultivation; a fungal bed base preparation step for preparing a fungal bed base for cultivating mycelium using the fungal bed material obtained in the fungal bed preparation step; a mycelium culturing step of culturing mycelium on the fungal bed base under a predetermined culture environment and for a predetermined culture period until the mycelium spreading over the surface of the fungal bed base is obtained as a mycelium layer having a first thickness; a mycelium layer separation step of separating the mycelium layer obtained in the mycelium culture step from the fungal bed base; a post-treatment step including a sheet material forming step of forming a sheet material having a second thickness from the mycelium layer obtained in the mycelium layer separating step; The method comprising:

2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste medium is collected from a mushroom farm where mushrooms are cultivated.

3. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparing the culture bed base comprises placing a coating material on the surface of the culture bed base.

4. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparing the culture bed base uses a flat tray-shaped culture tool for preparing the culture bed base.

5. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparing a culture bed base includes a step of inoculating the culture bed base with a mushroom seed culture.

6. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the seed comprises a solid seed or a liquid seed.

7. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the post-treatment step includes a drying step of drying the mycelium layer obtained in the mycelium layer separation step.

8. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the post-processing step includes the step of applying a backing material to one side of the sheet material.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the post-treatment step includes a second treatment step in which the culture bed base from which the mycelium layer has been separated by the mycelium layer separation step is processed as a second product.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that between the mushroom bed preparation step and the mushroom bed base body creation step, a pre-culture step is provided in which the inoculated mushroom seed culture is pre-cultured using the mushroom bed material obtained in the mushroom bed preparation step, and the mushroom bed material after this pre-culture step is used to create the mushroom bed base body in the mushroom bed base body creation step.

11. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the pre-cultivation step comprises pre-cultivating the mycelium in a bagged medium.

12. A mushroom leather production system for producing mushroom leather from mushroom mycelium, comprising: A database containing information relating to a headquarters, one or more product development businesses, and one or more mushroom cultivation businesses; A communication line connecting the headquarters, the commercialization business operator, and the mushroom farmer so that they can communicate with each other, and a transmission means for transmitting to the headquarters or the commercialization business operator information indicating that waste medium has been generated after the mushroom farmer has cultivated mushrooms. a receiving means for receiving the transmission by the transmitting means at the headquarters or the commercialization company; A recovery means for the commercialization company that receives the waste medium by the receiving means to recover the waste medium; a mushroom leather production system comprising: a mushroom bed preparation step for obtaining a mushroom bed material prepared from unused virgin material of a mushroom medium or waste medium after use in mushroom cultivation, or a mixture of these; a mushroom bed base preparation step for preparing a mushroom bed base for cultivating mycelium from the mushroom bed material obtained in the mushroom bed preparation step; a mycelium cultivation step for cultivating mycelium on the mushroom bed base under a specified cultivation environment and for a specified cultivation period, and culturing the mycelium spreading on the surface of the mushroom bed base until a mycelium layer of a first thickness is obtained; a mycelium layer separation step for separating the mycelium layer obtained in the mycelium cultivation step from the mushroom bed base; and a sheet material formation step for forming a sheet material of a second thickness from the mycelium layer obtained after separation in the mycelium layer separation step.

13. The mushroom leather production system according to claim 12, characterized in that the headquarters and the commercialization company are different entities.

14. The mushroom leather production system according to claim 12, characterized in that the headquarters also functions as a part or all of the commercialization business operator.

15. The mushroom leather production system according to claim 12, characterized in that the mushroom farmer also serves as a part or whole of a commercialization business operator.

Images