Fungi are due to their high nutritional value and the presence of a wide range of bioactive compounds considered as functional foods. These are foods that have a beneficial effect on people's well-being and health, as they help in the prevention and management of various health conditions. They have great potential as an alternative to animal-based products, as their production is more environmentally friendly and has a lower carbon footprint. Fungal metabolites can also be used as animal feed supplements. Extracellular enzymes, capable of degrading lignocellulosic materials, improve the accessibility of macronutrients in feed which enhances digestion and well-being of animals. New ways of fungi cultivation are being explored, especially using submerged or solid substrate fermentation. The latter has many advantages for the cultivation of filamentous fungi, but further studies are needed on the transfer to the industrial level. Due to their secretory capabilities, fungi are extremely interesting for the production of various primary and secondary metabolites on an industrial scale. In this process, there is a risk of mycotoxin synthesis, so the processes need to be well defined and optimized. With traditional genetic transformation techniques and newer technologies, such as CRISPR/Cas9 technology, research is being conducted on the insertion and modification of fungal genes for the production of specific products, such as enzymes, organic acids, fatty acids, and obtaining enriched fungal biomass. Further studies are needed in this field to explore the appropriateness and safety of the targeted action of these technologies and the consumption of such products.
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