Screening for polysaccharide producers among four different natural isolates of fungi

Introduction: The traditional medicine of many cultures uses mushrooms to maintain and improve vitality and health. Their application as food is spreading even more around the globe. Of the many biologically active compounds present in them, the most abundant are polysaccharides, terpenes, phenols, lectin, etc. Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates that play a key role in various biological processes. They are found in diverse forms across the natural world, with higher fungi being a notable source. The polysaccharides and mycelium biomass derived from these fungi have attracted considerable interest due to their various applications in the food and pharmaceutical sectors. Mycelial growth is greatly dependent on fermentation media and physical conditions. The present study aims to test the ability of four new isolates of higher fungi to produce intracellular (IPS) and extracellular (EPS) polysaccharides during submerged fermentation