Harnessing mushrooms for poultry nutrition: Boosting health, immunity, and productivity.

Edible mushrooms, the fruiting bodies of fungi, are emerging as promising functional feed additives in poultry nutrition, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic growth promoters. Rich in bioactive compounds such as β-glucans, glycoproteins, polyphenols, terpenoids, and antioxidants, mushrooms exhibit immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative properties. These compounds support enhanced immune function, metabolic regulation, oxidative stress reduction, and disease resistance in poultry. Mushroom species like Pleurotus ostreatus, Agaricus bisporus, and Flammulina velutipes have demonstrated improvements in growth rate, feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass traits, meat quality, and egg production. Importantly, mushroom stems, often discarded as waste, are gaining attention for their nutritional and functional value, making them a cost-effective and eco-friendly feed resource. Medicinal mushrooms such as Lentinula edodes, Ganoderma lucidum, and Trametes versicolor further enhance antioxidant defense and gut microbial balance. This review synthesizes current evidence on the application of mushrooms and their stems in poultry diets, emphasizing their nutritional roles, physiological impacts, and underlying mechanisms. Moreover, it discusses their relevance in promoting sustainable poultry production by reducing antibiotic use and valorizing agricultural by-products. Future research should aim to standardize species selection, dosage levels, and feeding durations while assessing long-term safety and economic feasibility. Unlocking their full potential could transform poultry nutrition toward a more resilient and environmentally responsible model.