Container for Mushrooms and Method for the Manufacture Thereof

Abstract

The invention comprises a method for manufacturing a container for the storage, transport and/or sale of mushrooms, said method comprising the steps of: collecting a residual substrate derived from the growing of mushrooms on a substrate; optionally, adding water to the residual substrate; mixing the residual substrate obtained to form a pulp; cooking the pulp; transferring the pulp into a mold; pressing the pulp in the mold, resulting in a transfer mold; and cooling and drying the transfer mold, resulting in a container for the storage, transport and/or sale of mushrooms.

1 . A method for manufacturing a container for the storage, transport and/or sale of mushrooms, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) collecting a residual substrate derived from the growing of mushrooms on a substrate;   b) optionally, adding water to the residual substrate;   c) mixing the residual substrate obtained from step a) or step b) to form a pulp;   d) cooking the pulp;   e) transferring the pulp into a die;   f) pressing the pulp in the die, resulting in a transfer mold; and,   g) cooling and drying the transfer mold, resulting in a container for the storage, transport and/or sale of mushrooms.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising, before step a), the steps of:
 a 1 ) inoculating a substrate, usable for growing mushrooms, with mycelium;   a 2 ) growing the mycelium in the substrate, with formation of the mushroom fruiting bodies on top of the substrate and a residual substrate comprising a fermented substrate and the grown mycelium; and,   a 3 ) separating the mushroom fruiting bodies and the residual substrate.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 or 2 , in which the mushrooms are selected from the group comprising for example white mushroom, chestnut mushroom, shiitake, wood blewit, nameko, parasol mushroom, horse mushroom, beech mushroom, chanterelle mushroom, enoli, morel, oyster mushroom, pied de mouton, pom pom blanc, portabella, trompette de la mort; preferably selected from the  Agaricus bisporus  group; preferably the white mushroom or the chestnut mushroom. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 3 , in which the mushrooms, from which the residual substrate is collected, are of the same Class, Order, Family, Genus, and/or Species as the mushrooms that are stored, transported and/or sold in the container. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 4 , in which the substrate comprises a compost layer and optionally a mushroom growing layer on top of the compost layer. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 5 , in which the compost layer comprises slurry and/or solid manure; and/or in which the compost layer comprises straw, hay, and/or wood (chips). 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 6 , in which in step c) the residual substrate is mixed with an additional pulp, preferably a pulp based on paper. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 7 , in which the substrate comprises cellulose, lignin and/or hemicellulose. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 8 , in which the transfer mold comprises a round, oval, square, rectangular, polygonal, multiplex, hexagonal, octagonal shape, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 9 , in which the transfer mold comprises a perimeter of about 10-200 cm and a height of about 1-20 cm. 
     
     
         11 . A container manufactured by a method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 10 , preferably wherein the container contains mushrooms. 
     
     
         12 . The use of the container as claimed in  claim 11  for the storage, transport and/or sale of mushrooms. 
     
     
         13 . The use of a residual substrate comprising mushroom-fermented substrate, compost and/or manure for manufacturing a container for the storage, transport and/or sale of mushrooms according to a method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 10 . 
     
     
         14 . The use as claimed in  claim 13 , in which the fermented substrate, the compost and/or manure comprise fermented cellulose, lignin and/or hemicellulose. 
     
     
         15 . A method for the storage, transport and/or sale of mushrooms, said method comprising the steps of:
 i) manufacturing a container by a method as claimed in one of  claims 1 to 10 ;   i) filling the container obtained from step i) with harvested mushroom fruiting bodies;   iii) optionally, closing the container with a transparent upper portion;   iv) optionally, transporting the container with the mushroom fruiting bodies to the place of sale; and,   v) optionally, selling the container with the mushroom fruiting bodies to an intermediary and/or consumer.