What do fungi eat?
My favourite fungi, if one can make claim to a favourite, are the various strains of yeast used in wine- and beer-making. Yeast is classified as a fungus because it contains no chlorophyll and cannot manufacture its own food supply from carbon dioxide and water, as do green plants. Only a few strains of yeast can induce alcoholic fermentation. These yeasts consume sugars and excrete carbon dioxide and alcohol. Fermentation begins with an aerobic stage that produces little alcohol, followed by an anaerobic phase in which most of the alcohol is produced. C6H12O6 + yeast = 2xCH3CH2OH + 2xCO2 Some yeasts are used for baking. Bread rises because the baker’s yeast excretes carbon dioxide, which forms bubbles in the dough and causes its volume to expand.
