This study aimed to select Perenniporia fraxinea isolates that form mycelial mats with excellent texture and ultimately to use them to produce mycelial based leather (MBL). Among 10 P. fraxinea isolates, JK-M0825 had the fastest mycelial growth rate on malt extract-yeast extract glucose medium. Polymorphic DNA of P. fraxinea isolates was detected using ultra-fast photonic polymerase chain reaction, which showed DNA diversity. The ribosomal DNA-internal transcribed spacer sequence of JK-M0825 was 99% identical to that of P. fraxinea isolates registered in GenBank. Four P. fraxinea isolates formed high-quality mycelial mats on sawdust substrates, and JK-M0825 produced the thickest mycelial mat (3.8 mm). JK-M0825 had the highest tensile strength (6.08 N/mm2) and an elongation rate of 32.93±6.31%. In addition, the mycelia of JK-M0825 formed uniformly on a large-scale culture medium (90 cm x 90 cm) and formed a textured mycelial mat. These results suggest that JK-M0825 is appropriate for producing MBL.

Mycelium-based leather is a promising sustainable material that offers a biodegradable and animal-free alternative to conventional leather. However, ensuring its consistent quality during mass production remains a significant challenge owing to variability in biological growth and vulnerability to contamination. This study investigated the effects of surface modification and plasticization treatments on the structural and chemical properties of mycelial mats. Structural and chemical profile alterations were evaluated using hyperspectral imaging (HSI), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. HSI effectively detected these changes and surface defects nondestructively. It enabled precise differentiation between treated and untreated regions, thus supporting rapid and spatially resolved quality inspection. These results highlight the potential of HSI as an effective tool for evaluating the effects of pretreatment and monitoring contamination in mycelium-based leather production.

Bio-based alternative leathers may be produced from biomass fiber, protein polymers, bacterial cellulose, and mushroom mycelia. Of these components, mushroom mycelia are of greatest interest. In this study, the potential of Fomes fomentariusas a mushroom mycelial mat was confirmed, and the optimal strain for the development of the mycelial mat was determined. Moreover, the quality of the mycelial mat was improved by identifying an efficient culture method to increase productivity. Mutant strains whose independence was verified were obtained by treatment with gamma irradiation under various conditions. Biofilm formation by the resulting strains was examined in sawdust and liquid media and the characteristics of the biofilms were analyzed. The biofilm of the mutant strains showed results that were similar to or better than the biofilms of longevity and cypress mushrooms. These findings are expected to be utilized in future research aimed at discovering new biomaterials using mushroom mycelia.