*2.2. Substrate*

In this study, apple, pomegranate, black carrot, and red beet pulp were selected as substrates for pigment production by fungi. Pulps were kindly provided by Anadolu Etap Agriculture and Fruit Products Industry and Trade Inc. in Mersin City, Turkey. To evaluate the effect of the initial carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio, elemental analysis of each type of pulp was performed at this stage. For further studies, pulps were dried at 60 ± 1 ◦C for 24 h in an oven (Figure S1), followed by particle size reduction using a kitchen blender and sieved (Tyler mesh 10–12) [34] to obtain particles of 1.4 mm diameter. All dried pulp particles were stored at 4 ◦C prior to use.
