Principal investigators: Matthew Gacura and Davide Piovesan
University: Gannon University
Industry partner: Eco-Erie
Cheap, nutritious foods are in great demand, with mushrooms being high in both proteins and essential nutrients. Fortunately, mushrooms can be cultivated year-round and without the need for light. With the right equipment and knowledge, many people could grow these nutritious food items at home. However, the effective cultivation of mushrooms does pose some challenges as it requires sterile and specific conditions before mushroom fruiting can begin. Here we will create simple chambers that will be able to maintain sterile conditions using UV light and allow for the control of the internal environment (temp, airflow, and humidity). Afterwards we will test the chamber’s ability to effectively cultivate various species of edible mushrooms. This project is built from previous work funded by the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program. This project is a collaboration with Gannon University, with students from both the Biology and Engineering Departments working on various aspects of this project.