| Summary: | The basidiomycete brown rot fungus <i>Neolentinus lepideus</i> is capable of assimilating and fermenting lactose to ethanol with a conversion yield comparable to those of lactose-fermenting yeasts. The ability of the fungus to ferment lactose is not influenced by the addition of glucose or calcium. Therefore, <i>N. lepideus</i> may be useful in ethanol production from materials composed mainly of lactose, such as cheese whey or expired cow’s milk. Whey is a by-product of cheese manufacturing, and approximately 50% of the total worldwide production of whey is normally disposed of without being utilized. We found that <i>N. lepideus</i> produced ethanol directly from cheese whey with a yield of 0.35 g of ethanol per gram of lactose consumed, and it also fermented expired milk containing lactose, protein, and fat with a similar yield. Our findings revealed that the naturally occurring basidiomycete fungus possesses a unique ability to produce ethanol from cheese whey and expired milk. Thus, <i>N. lepideus</i> may be useful in facilitating ethanol production from dairy wastes in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner.
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