Characteristics of Beer-Like Drink Produced by Mushroom Fermentation

Abstract

In general, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a main microorganism in beer brewing, because this microbe has potent ability to produce alcohol dehydrogenase. Recently, we discovered that some genera of mushroom produce alcohol dehydrogenase, and made a beer-like drink using a mushroom in place of S. cerevisiae. The highest alcohol concentration in this drink was achieved with Tricholoma matsutake (1069 mM, 4.6%). This beer-like drink contained about 0.17% β-D-glucan, which is known to have preventive effects against cancer. The drink showed thrombosis preventing activity: prolonged thrombin clotting time 2.3 fold that of control. Thus, the beer-like drink made using mushroom seems to be a healthful alcoholic beverage.