Edible and medicinal mushrooms as functional aquafeed ingredients: Implications on fish growth, health and immunological benefits

The need for sustainable, economical and nutrient-efficient feed ingredients has increased due to rapid growth of aquaculture sector. Edible and medicinal mushrooms have become interesting functional additives in aquafeeds because of their varied bioactive chemicals and rich nutritional profile. High-quality protein, vital amino acids, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and bioactive substances like phenolics, antioxidants and polysaccharides (β-glucans) can all be found in mushrooms. Several studies have shown that adding mushroom biomass or extracts to the diet can improve a range of cultured fish species growth performance, feed utilization, immunological responses, antioxidant capacity and disease resistance. Furthermore, mushrooms boost general fish welfare by enhancing intestinal health and stress tolerance. The potential of mushroom as environmentally sustainable feed resources is further highlighted by the fact that they can be grown on agricultural and agro-industrial wastes. This paper highlights the role that mushrooms play in fostering fish growth, health and immunocompetence by summarizing their nutritional qualities, functional qualities and biological impacts when employed as aquafeed additives. Incorporating mushrooms into aquafeed formulations represents a promising strategy to enhance the sustainability and resilience of modern aquaculture systems.