A new solution for the recycling of mushroom compost has been developed with the participation of SZTE

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According to the statement, due to the depletion of peat mines in Hungary and Europe and the environmental problems of peat mining, researchers have been looking for options for the production of high-quality mulch used in mushroom cultivation for years. During a three-year project launched in 2021, researchers from Új Champignons Kft. and SZTE assessed the physical, chemical and microbiological changes that occur during the natural re-composting process of the harvested compost, and developed a monitoring method for tracking the chemical and microbiological changes in raw materials and finished mulch materials.

Bacteria and fungi were collected and identified using DNA-based molecular methods from samples taken during the natural recomposition process of harvested mushroom compost

The microorganisms were placed in the “Recompost” subcollection of the Szeged Microbiological Stock Collection, which provides an important background for future research. The experts selected microorganisms and produced and tested an inoculant prototype that can be used to treat harvested mushroom compost. The resulting re-composted harvested mushroom compost was mixed with peat in different proportions and successfully tested in mushroom cultivation experiments as an alternative mulch material in comparison with traditional mulch. The results of the project offer an alternative to the recycling of the large amount of waste generated in mushroom cultivation in the spirit of circular farming, which can thus be returned as a useful raw material in mushroom cultivation.

The project received approximately 415 million forints of support from the innovation fund

According to the data on the company’s website, Új Champignons Kft., founded in 2009, has been involved in compost and mushroom sprout production, mushroom cultivation and mushroom canning since its inception. The company currently produces mushroom compost in its 12 heat treatment plants at its site in Demjén, Heves County, with a capacity of approximately 10,000 cubic meters. Fresh mushrooms are grown in automated houses, mostly with shelving systems, on an area of ​​approximately 17,400 square meters, operated with a modern cooling, heating and humidity control system. According to public company data, the privately owned Hungarian company achieved net sales of 2.924 billion forints in 2023, which is more than 24 percent more than the previous year. The company’s after-tax profit was approximately 95 million forints in 2022 and 40 million forints in 2023.

MTI