Mushrooms in food security and environmental management: Sustainable solutions for a changing world

Abstract

Mushrooms are regarded as multifaceted, packed with nutrients featuring established health advantages. Ancient Greeks believed that mushrooms might give troops strength during battle. Romans and Egyptians referred to mushrooms as "Food of the God" and said they were a particular delicacy. There have been thousands of years of Chinese use of mushrooms as food and medicine. Among the top mushroom producers in the world are China, the United States, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland. In addition to providing food, mushrooms are currently a solution to other issues facing people. Using mycoremediation, mushrooms also aid in the development of greener environmental restoration technologies. A key component of "clean technology" is the biotransformation and purification of water into valuable products, as well as increased productivity and minimal trash creation. Mycelia, a component of mycoremediation, serves as both a protein source and a bioremediation technique. The propensity of mushroom species to secrete a number of breaking down and oxidizing enzymes, which have attracted study interest in the farming of mushrooms and waste remediation sector, can be ascribed to their effectiveness in the generation of food protein (biomass/fruiting bodies) from junk. Food security, human health, and eliminating environmental pollution are the key issues that mushrooms aim to solve. All these characteristics of mushrooms make it essential to combine resources for more thorough research by multiple international technological and scientific agencies. The market global for mushrooms is expected to expand as a result of their potential nutritional and health benefits, including those for weight control, oral health, and cancer prevention. © 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston. All rights reserved.