Fungi as Food

Chapter 6 Fungi as Food Johan Baars, Johan BaarsSearch for more papers by this author Johan Baars, Johan BaarsSearch for more papers by this author Book Editor(s):Kevin Kavanagh, Kevin Kavanagh Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, County Kildare, IrelandSearch for more papers by this author First published: 08 September 2017 https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119374312.ch6Citations: 3 AboutPDFPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShareShare a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Summary Mushrooms have been used by people since Neolithic times for food, medicinal purposes, as hallucinogenic agents in rituals, or as a means to start a fire (tinder mushroom). Explicit mention of fungi as food can be found with ancient Roman and Greek writers. In the East Asian world, mushrooms are known both as food and for their medicinal purposes in traditional Chinese medicine. The main mushroom species cultivated in China are oyster mushroom (Pleurotus species), shiitake (Xianggu by the Chinese name; Lentinula edodes), enokitake (Flammulina edodes), straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea), wood ear mushroom (Auricularia species), and button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). Mushrooms are nutritionally low in energy content, but rich in dietary fibre and vitamins from the vitamin B complex. Mushrooms that are collected outdoors are rich in vitamin D, and mushrooms that are grown commercially can become rich in vitamin D by mild treatment with UV light. Citing Literature Fungi: Biology and Applications, Third Edition RelatedInformation