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By taking advantage of the rich and healthy nutritional profile of the mushroom 鈥� as well as the large volume of mushroom waste produced by the food industry 鈥� the team of bioengineering researchers are working to produce a sustainable, balanced and nutrient-rich sports drink for the future.

鈥淥riginally invented to replenish water, electrolytes and carbohydrates after vigorous physical exercise, sports drinks are now treated by consumers as normal beverages,鈥� said , Director of the at the University of Sydney. 聽

鈥淭he problem is, the average person is nowhere near active enough to require these energy-giving cocktails of sodium, sugar and caffeine. Even professional athletes are encouraged to drink two bottles of water for every bottle of sports drink they consume.鈥�

The mushroom drink being developed by Professor Dehghani鈥檚 team will be low in carbohydrates and fat and balanced in its electrolyte, amino acid, fibre and vitamin content.

鈥淢ushrooms are the perfect ingredient to create a new sports drink 鈥� they have a balance of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, with low sodium and negligible cholesterol and fat content,鈥� said researcher from the University鈥檚 .

Mushrooms are also the only non-animal vitamin D source and also contain bioactive compounds which display anti-tumour, immune system-regulating and stress-relieving properties.

鈥淪uch a drink would hydrate and energise the body without the negative effects of sugar, sodium and caffeine,鈥� said Dr Valtchev.

In addition to the many health benefits, large-scale production of a mushroom-based sports drink could help combat the world鈥檚 massive food waste problem.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the global demand for mushrooms 鈥� in 2013, the global market for mushrooms was estimated to be US $29.4 billion, and is expected to grow up to US $50 billion by 2019. 聽 聽

But 80 percent of mushrooms are rejected, usually due to overgrowth and deformities.

鈥淲e seem to be especially picky with mushrooms. Due to this, providers throw away any malformed mushroom that appears aesthetically unappealing and therefore unsellable,鈥� said Professor Dehghani.

鈥淪uch large volumes of mushroom waste could be transformed into a highly nutritious, and hopefully tasty, product.鈥�

This project is just one of many being undertaken in the University of Sydney鈥檚 . The Centre aims to boost Australia鈥檚 capacity to compete in the global market, particularly in the production of nutraceuticals 鈥� food products fortified with vitamins or minerals that provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of chronic and acute diseases. 聽