Substrate Formulation & Pasteurization
Design productive substrate recipes and choose the right heat treatment, balancing nutrition, moisture, cost and contamination risk.
Programme identification
- 1.1Programme name
- Substrate Formulation & Pasteurization
- 1.2Type of qualification
- Course
- 1.3Provider / endorsing institution
- Fungaris – International Institute of Mycology, School of Mushroom Cultivation & Production. A Fungaris programme of its own, not endorsed by a university.
- 1.4Mode of study
- Online, with live sessions in a small group, recordings and a virtual campus.
- 1.5Duration (hours / ECTS credits)
- 3 months (12 weeks) · 72 hours in total · 6 modules of 12 hours · 12 live sessions of 2 hours. ECTS credits: not applicable (Fungaris own programme, not an official university degree).
- 1.6Language
- English
- 1.7Start and end dates / intake
- Next intake: 11 January 2027 to 2 April 2027. Enrolment closes on 4 January 2027. Following intake: 8 March 2027. How intakes work →
Overview
2.1Programme description
Substrate Formulation and Pasteurisation explains why some substrate recipes produce heavy, clean flushes while others stall or contaminate. You will study the role of carbon, nitrogen and common supplements, learn to measure and adjust moisture content and pH, and compare pasteurisation methods such as hot water, steam, cold lime and fermentation. The course also covers when supplemented substrates require full sterilisation and how to test and optimise recipes systematically rather than by trial and error.
As growers scale up, substrate becomes one of the largest costs and the biggest source of variation in yield. Small changes in moisture, supplement level or heat treatment can decide whether a batch succeeds. This course suits growers moving beyond starter recipes and farm staff responsible for substrate preparation. In the final project you design and plan a trial of an improved substrate recipe for your main species, with ingredient costs, treatment method, measurement plan and success criteria, reviewed by your professor.
2.2Why it matters / what need it meets
It meets a practical need: applied, up-to-date knowledge in cultivation, useful in areas such as Commercial mushroom production, Substrate and input supply, Agricultural by-product processing, Applied agricultural research.
Mycology is moving fast and good practical training is still scarce. This programme gives you a structured path, taught live by people who work in the field, so you can apply what you learn with judgement and safety.
Objectives and competences
3.1General objective
To finish the programme able to apply its content professionally and with judgement. In short:
Design productive substrate recipes and choose the right heat treatment, balancing nutrition, moisture, cost and contamination risk.
3.2Specific objectives
- Build the foundations: Substrate Ingredients and Nutrition; Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratios and Supplements.
- Put them into practice: Moisture Content and pH; Pasteurization Methods Compared.
- Apply everything to a real case: Sterilization for Supplemented Substrates; Testing and Optimizing Recipes.
- Complete a final project reviewed by your professor.
3.3Competences you will gain
- Explain how substrate composition affects yield and contamination risk.
- Calculate and adjust carbon-to-nitrogen ratios for common species.
- Measure and correct substrate moisture and pH.
- Select a pasteurisation or sterilisation method for a given recipe.
- Design simple trials to compare and optimise substrate recipes.
Student profile
4.1Who it is for (entry profile)
Growers scaling production.
4.2Entry requirements
Some practical experience growing at least one species is recommended. Basic measuring equipment such as scales and pH strips is useful for the exercises.
4.3Career paths (exit profile)
- Substrate preparation manager on a mushroom farm
- Production technician optimising recipes
- Grower scaling a small farm
- Technical adviser for substrate suppliers
- Research assistant in applied mushroom trials
Outcomes depend on your experience and on your local market.
Study plan
5.1Overall structure (modules and workload)
| Module | Title | Phase | Topics | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Substrate Ingredients and Nutrition | Foundations | 3 | 12 |
| 02 | Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratios and Supplements | Foundations | 3 | 12 |
| 03 | Moisture Content and pH | Practice | 3 | 12 |
| 04 | Pasteurization Methods Compared | Practice | 3 | 12 |
| 05 | Sterilization for Supplemented Substrates | Application & project | 3 | 12 |
| 06 | Testing and Optimizing Recipes | Application & project | 3 | 12 |
| Total | 72 |
6 modules × 12 hours = 72 hours: 24 hours of live sessions, and the rest for campus study, exercises and the final project.
5.2Content by module
Hover or tap a module to follow the path from the first session to the final project. Open a module to see the topics it covers.
- Lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose
- Common base materials
- Ingredient quality and storage
- Understanding C:N ratios
- Bran, soy hulls and other supplements
- Supplementation and contamination risk
- Field capacity and the squeeze test
- Measuring moisture by weight
- Adjusting and buffering pH
- Hot water and steam pasteurisation
- Cold lime and fermentation methods
- Choosing a method by scale and cost
- Why supplemented substrates need sterilising
- Sterilisation times and load sizes
- Cooling and inoculation hygiene
- Designing a recipe trial
- Measuring yield and contamination
- Costing and finalising recipes
5.3Company placement
This programme does not include a company placement. Practice is built into every module through exercises, case studies and the final project.
5.4Final project
A costed trial plan for an improved substrate recipe, with treatment method, measurement plan and success criteria.
Methodology
6.1How it is taught
- Live online sessions, usually weekly, with a working professional and a small group.
- Recordings of every session, so you can catch up if work or time zones get in the way.
- Exercises and real case studies in every module.
- Tutoring: your professor answers questions and gives feedback on your exercises and project.
6.2Platform and resources
A Moodle virtual campus with session recordings, readings, exercises and forums for each module. You need a computer, an up-to-date browser and a stable connection; a webcam and microphone are recommended.
Technical requirements →6.3Estimated weekly workload
About 6 hours a week for 12 weeks: one 2-hour live session on a weekday evening, plus study and exercises on the campus at your own pace.
Assessment
7.1Assessment system and weighting
Assessment is based on participation in live sessions and module exercises with calculations. The final project is reviewed by the professor with detailed feedback.
7.2Requirements to pass
- Complete every module, by attending the live sessions or watching the recordings.
- Hand in the module exercises.
- Have your final project approved by your professor.
Teaching team
8.1Academic direction
The Cultivation at Fungaris coordinates the content and quality of this programme. The academic director of each intake is named in the intake guide.
8.2Faculty
Taught by professionals who work in the field. The professor of each intake is confirmed before the start.
Meet our faculty →Certificate
9.1Certificate awarded
Course Certificate
On completing the programme and its project, Fungaris issues a Course Certificate. Accreditations are assessed according to the training completed and the local regulations of each country.
9.2Issuing body / recognition
Issued by Fungaris (operated by Nexora Generation, S.L.) as a digital certificate. It is a Fungaris certificate of its own: it is not an official university degree and does not award ECTS credits.
About our certificates →Admission and enrolment
10.1Admission process (steps)
- Send your request through the form or write to admissions.
- Admissions reviews your profile and confirms the start date, the session schedule and the fee.
- You secure your place with full payment or a 40% reservation.
- You receive your campus access and welcome guide before the first session.
10.2Documents required
- A valid identity document.
- Contact and billing details (personal or company).
10.3Deadlines
Enrolment for the intake starting on 11 January 2027 is open until 4 January 2027, or until the group is full (maximum 20 students).
10.4Fee and payment options
Fee: £340
- Full payment before the start: £272 (20% reduction).
- 40% reservation (£136) and 3 monthly instalments of £68.
10.5Grants, discounts and funding
Discounts: 10% for Fungaris alumni and 15% for groups of three or more people from the same organisation. Discounts cannot be combined with each other or with the full-payment reduction.
Your employer can pay for the programme and receive the invoice in the company name. Whether a public or employer training budget can cover the fee depends on your country, so check with them.
10.6Cancellation policy
The conditions for cancelling, withdrawing or moving to a later intake are explained in our cancellation policy and in your enrolment confirmation. Nothing there limits your rights under the consumer law that applies to you.
Cancellation and refunds →Additional information
11.1Frequently asked questions
Do I need experience to study Substrate Formulation & Pasteurization?
Some practical experience growing at least one species is recommended. Basic measuring equipment such as scales and pH strips is useful for the exercises.
How is Substrate Formulation & Pasteurization taught?
Live online, in 6 modules with a working professional, a small group and a final project.
How am I assessed?
Assessment is based on participation in live sessions and module exercises with calculations. The final project is reviewed by the professor with detailed feedback.
What is the final project?
A costed trial plan for an improved substrate recipe, with treatment method, measurement plan and success criteria.
What certificate do I get?
On completing the programme and its project, Fungaris issues a Course Certificate. Accreditations are assessed according to the training completed and the local regulations of each country.
What can I study after Substrate Formulation & Pasteurization?
The natural next step is Diploma in Gourmet Mushroom Production.
11.2Alumni testimonials
We only publish verified testimonials from real students. This programme does not have any published yet; they will appear here once its first intakes finish.
11.3Admissions contact
Write to info@fungaris.institute or use the contact form. Admissions answers in your language.
Read before you start.
CultivationHow to Grow Oyster Mushrooms at Home: Step-by-Step GuideOyster mushrooms are the most forgiving gourmet species to grow. This step-by-step guide takes you from straw and spawn to your first harvest, and on to a small farm.Read the article 
CultivationHow to Grow Shiitake on Logs: A Step-by-Step Outdoor GuideLog-grown shiitake takes patience, but a well-made stack of logs can fruit for several years. Here is how to do it step by step, from cutting wood to harvest.Read the article Keep branching.
From our species guide.
EdibleJelly earAuricularia auricula-judaeJelly fungi
EdibleNamekoPholiota microsporaGilled mushroomsEdibleOyster mushroomPleurotus ostreatusGilled mushrooms
EdiblePink oyster mushroomPleurotus djamorGilled mushrooms
EdiblePioppinoCyclocybe aegeritaGilled mushroomsEdibleShiitakeLentinula edodesGilled mushrooms
EdibleSummer oyster mushroomPleurotus pulmonariusGilled mushroomsJoin the next intake.
Pay in full with a 20% reduction, or reserve your place with 40% and pay the rest in monthly instalments. All prices are stated in pounds sterling (GBP).