Biosurfactants are the surface-active biomolecules produced by microorganisms. Biosurfactants have gained commercial significance due to their unique properties, such as high surface activity, high specificity, low toxicity, tolerance to pH, temperature and ionic strength, biodegradability, excellent emulsifying and demulsifying ability, antimicrobial activity, ability to work under extreme conditions, and relative ease of preparation. Biosurfactants are used in several industries, including organic chemicals, petroleum, petrochemicals, mining, metallurgy (mainly bioleaching), agrochemicals, fertilizers, foods, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and many others.

The aim of this book is to highlight key aspects from basics to advanced concepts, classifications, production and applications in various fields such as agriculture, health, bioremediation, industries, pharmaceutical, oil recovery, environment, and nanotechnology. It also serves as an excellent and expansive literature on fermentation, recovery, genomics, and metagenomics of biosurfactant production. The book focuses on the biosurfactant production from bacteria, the diversity of biosurfactant producing bacteria, and industrial need of biosurfactant.

Biosurfactants are the surface-active biomolecules produced by microorganisms. Biosurfactants have gained commercial significance due to their unique properties, such as high surface activity, high specificity, low toxicity, tolerance to pH, temperature and ionic strength, biodegradability, excellent emulsifying and demulsifying ability, antimicrobial activity, ability to work under extreme conditions, and relative ease of preparation. Biosurfactants are used in several industries, including organic chemicals, petroleum, petrochemicals, mining, metallurgy (mainly bioleaching), agrochemicals, fertilizers, foods, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and many others.

The aim of this book is to highlight key aspects from basics to advanced concepts, classifications, production and applications in various fields such as agriculture, health, bioremediation, industries, pharmaceutical, oil recovery, environment, and nanotechnology. It also serves as an excellent and expansive literature on fermentation, recovery, genomics, and metagenomics of biosurfactant production. The book focuses on the biosurfactant production from bacteria, the diversity of biosurfactant producing bacteria, and industrial need of biosurfactant.

The discipline of mycology is a fascinating one. It has a major influence on the nutrition, health and environmental safety of mankind. Cultivation of edible and non-edible mushrooms for nutrition, pharmaceuticals, biopolymers and biocomposites will open up new avenues in research as well as the more profitable utilization of agricultural residues. Cultivation and of domesticated and wild mushrooms poses a challenge to fulfill the needs of human/animal nutrition and utilization of agrowastes tangibly. Cultivation of ectomycorrhizal fungi benefits nutrition as well as plant protection. Macrofungi are the major source of several metabolites of nutritional, health, agricultural and industrial significance (e.g., antioxidants, antimicrobials and pigments). Macrofungal bio composites provide alternatives to the use of animal-derived or plant-derived products (e.g., nanopapers, leather and packaging materials). They serve a dual role in providing nutrition and pharmaceuticals (nutraceuticals) to humans as well as livestock. Macrofungi interact with insects symbiotically (e.g., Termitomyces with termites) and provide delicious nutraceutical product. They also control insects by infecting and producing pharmaceutically and metabolite-rich products (e.g., Cordyceps attacks insects). Macrofungi have a strong potential to control pathogens like nematodes in soil (bioremediation). They are also useful as biofertilizers to meet the needs of plant nutrition.

The book outlines current advances in macrofungal technology. It highlights different facets of macrofungal cultivation, bioactive compounds, biocomposites, nutraceuticals, benefits with interaction with insects, application as biofertilizers and ecosystem services like bioremediation.

The discipline of mycology is a fascinating one. It has a major influence on the nutrition, health and environmental safety of mankind. Cultivation of edible and non-edible mushrooms for nutrition, pharmaceuticals, biopolymers and biocomposites will open up new avenues in research as well as the more profitable utilization of agricultural residues. Cultivation and of domesticated and wild mushrooms poses a challenge to fulfill the needs of human/animal nutrition and utilization of agrowastes tangibly. Cultivation of ectomycorrhizal fungi benefits nutrition as well as plant protection. Macrofungi are the major source of several metabolites of nutritional, health, agricultural and industrial significance (e.g., antioxidants, antimicrobials and pigments). Macrofungal bio composites provide alternatives to the use of animal-derived or plant-derived products (e.g., nanopapers, leather and packaging materials). They serve a dual role in providing nutrition and pharmaceuticals (nutraceuticals) to humans as well as livestock. Macrofungi interact with insects symbiotically (e.g., Termitomyces with termites) and provide delicious nutraceutical product. They also control insects by infecting and producing pharmaceutically and metabolite-rich products (e.g., Cordyceps attacks insects). Macrofungi have a strong potential to control pathogens like nematodes in soil (bioremediation). They are also useful as biofertilizers to meet the needs of plant nutrition.

The book outlines current advances in macrofungal technology. It highlights different facets of macrofungal cultivation, bioactive compounds, biocomposites, nutraceuticals, benefits with interaction with insects, application as biofertilizers and ecosystem services like bioremediation.

Beneficial microbes called probiotics exist naturally in our bodies and play a vital role in our health. Probiotics have been known to produce important microbiota of antimicrobial compounds that enhance our immunity to counter the harmful effects of pathogenic organisms. These microbes are also used in the treatment of diseases and in negating the side effects of chemically synthesized medicines. The study of probiotic organisms and their wide applications in industrial products for human and animal uses has thus gained momentum.

This book provides a comprehensive review on the research and applications of probiotics. It serves as a reference and resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers, companies, and policy makers who are active in fields related to functional food and feed, industrial biotechnology, nutraceuticals, and medicine. All chapters in this book have been written and edited by leading experts in the respective fields from academia, industry, or government.

Biosurfactants are the surface-active biomolecules produced by microorganisms. Biosurfactants have gained commercial significance due to their unique properties, such as high surface activity, high specificity, low toxicity, tolerance to pH, temperature and ionic strength, biodegradability, excellent emulsifying and demulsifying ability, antimicrobial activity, ability to work under extreme conditions, and relative ease of preparation. Biosurfactants are used in several industries, including organic chemicals, petroleum, petrochemicals, mining, metallurgy (mainly bioleaching), agrochemicals, fertilizers, foods, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and many others.

The aim of this book is to highlight key aspects from basics to advanced concepts, classifications, production and applications in various fields such as agriculture, health, bioremediation, industries, pharmaceutical, oil recovery, environment, and nanotechnology. It also serves as an excellent and expansive literature on fermentation, recovery, genomics, and metagenomics of biosurfactant production. The book focuses on the biosurfactant production from bacteria, the diversity of biosurfactant producing bacteria, and industrial need of biosurfactant.

Biosurfactants are the surface-active biomolecules produced by microorganisms. Biosurfactants have gained commercial significance due to their unique properties, such as high surface activity, high specificity, low toxicity, tolerance to pH, temperature and ionic strength, biodegradability, excellent emulsifying and demulsifying ability, antimicrobial activity, ability to work under extreme conditions, and relative ease of preparation. Biosurfactants are used in several industries, including organic chemicals, petroleum, petrochemicals, mining, metallurgy (mainly bioleaching), agrochemicals, fertilizers, foods, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and many others.

The aim of this book is to highlight key aspects from basics to advanced concepts, classifications, production and applications in various fields such as agriculture, health, bioremediation, industries, pharmaceutical, oil recovery, environment, and nanotechnology. It also serves as an excellent and expansive literature on fermentation, recovery, genomics, and metagenomics of biosurfactant production. The book focuses on the biosurfactant production from bacteria, the diversity of biosurfactant producing bacteria, and industrial need of biosurfactant.

The discipline of mycology is a fascinating one. It has a major influence on the nutrition, health and environmental safety of mankind. Cultivation of edible and non-edible mushrooms for nutrition, pharmaceuticals, biopolymers and biocomposites will open up new avenues in research as well as the more profitable utilization of agricultural residues. Cultivation and of domesticated and wild mushrooms poses a challenge to fulfill the needs of human/animal nutrition and utilization of agrowastes tangibly. Cultivation of ectomycorrhizal fungi benefits nutrition as well as plant protection. Macrofungi are the major source of several metabolites of nutritional, health, agricultural and industrial significance (e.g., antioxidants, antimicrobials and pigments). Macrofungal bio composites provide alternatives to the use of animal-derived or plant-derived products (e.g., nanopapers, leather and packaging materials). They serve a dual role in providing nutrition and pharmaceuticals (nutraceuticals) to humans as well as livestock. Macrofungi interact with insects symbiotically (e.g., Termitomyces with termites) and provide delicious nutraceutical product. They also control insects by infecting and producing pharmaceutically and metabolite-rich products (e.g., Cordyceps attacks insects). Macrofungi have a strong potential to control pathogens like nematodes in soil (bioremediation). They are also useful as biofertilizers to meet the needs of plant nutrition.

The book outlines current advances in macrofungal technology. It highlights different facets of macrofungal cultivation, bioactive compounds, biocomposites, nutraceuticals, benefits with interaction with insects, application as biofertilizers and ecosystem services like bioremediation.

The discipline of mycology is a fascinating one. It has a major influence on the nutrition, health and environmental safety of mankind. Cultivation of edible and non-edible mushrooms for nutrition, pharmaceuticals, biopolymers and biocomposites will open up new avenues in research as well as the more profitable utilization of agricultural residues. Cultivation and of domesticated and wild mushrooms poses a challenge to fulfill the needs of human/animal nutrition and utilization of agrowastes tangibly. Cultivation of ectomycorrhizal fungi benefits nutrition as well as plant protection. Macrofungi are the major source of several metabolites of nutritional, health, agricultural and industrial significance (e.g., antioxidants, antimicrobials and pigments). Macrofungal bio composites provide alternatives to the use of animal-derived or plant-derived products (e.g., nanopapers, leather and packaging materials). They serve a dual role in providing nutrition and pharmaceuticals (nutraceuticals) to humans as well as livestock. Macrofungi interact with insects symbiotically (e.g., Termitomyces with termites) and provide delicious nutraceutical product. They also control insects by infecting and producing pharmaceutically and metabolite-rich products (e.g., Cordyceps attacks insects). Macrofungi have a strong potential to control pathogens like nematodes in soil (bioremediation). They are also useful as biofertilizers to meet the needs of plant nutrition.

The book outlines current advances in macrofungal technology. It highlights different facets of macrofungal cultivation, bioactive compounds, biocomposites, nutraceuticals, benefits with interaction with insects, application as biofertilizers and ecosystem services like bioremediation.

Beneficial microbes called probiotics exist naturally in our bodies and play a vital role in our health. Probiotics have been known to produce important microbiota of antimicrobial compounds that enhance our immunity to counter the harmful effects of pathogenic organisms. These microbes are also used in the treatment of diseases and in negating the side effects of chemically synthesized medicines. The study of probiotic organisms and their wide applications in industrial products for human and animal uses has thus gained momentum.

This book provides a comprehensive review on the research and applications of probiotics. It serves as a reference and resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers, companies, and policy makers who are active in fields related to functional food and feed, industrial biotechnology, nutraceuticals, and medicine. All chapters in this book have been written and edited by leading experts in the respective fields from academia, industry, or government.