Effect of Antibacterial Peptide Microsphere Coating on the Microbial and Physicochemical Characteristics of Tricholoma matsutake during Cold Storage

The effect of novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and antimicrobial peptide microspheres (AMS) on the physicochemical and microbial quality of Tricholoma matsutake wild edible mushrooms was investigated. In the experiments, 1.0 g/L, 0.5 g/L of AMS, and 1.0 g/L AMPs were used as preservatives. Mushrooms coated with 1.0 g/L and 0.5 g/L of AMS as a preservative had better physicochemical and sensory qualities than did mushrooms coated with 1.0 g/L of AMPs. In the experiment, 1.0 g/L of blank microspheres without cathelicidin-BF-30 (PLGA-1.0) and distilled water was used as the control. Samples with these two treatments had minimal changes in texture, weight loss, total bacteria count, and sensory attributes. Research results suggests that the use of AMS can maintain the quality of Tricholoma matsutake wild edible mushrooms and could extend the postharvest life to 20 d.

Diversity and Ethno-Mycological Importance of Mushrooms from Western Himalayas, Kashmir.

Wild edible mushrooms (WEM) are economically significant and used in traditional medicines worldwide. The region of Jammu and Kashmir (Western Himalayas) is enriched with the diversity of edible mushrooms, collected by the rural people for food and income generation. This is the first detailed study on diversity and ethno-medicinal uses of mushrooms from the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Methods: Consecutive surveys were conducted to record ethno-mycological diversity and socio-economic importance of wild edible mushrooms value chain in rural areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir during 2015-2020. Data were collected with a semi-structured questionnaire having a set of questions on indigenous mycological knowledge and collection and retailing of wild edible mushrooms. A total of 923 informants from the study area provided results identifying the gender, type of mushroom species, medicinal uses, and marketing of mushrooms. Principal component analysis (PCA) was also applied to the data set to analyse the relationship between species distribution, the underlying environmental factors and habitat types. PCA identified the major species specific to the sites and put them close to the sites of distribution.Results: A total of 131 mushroom species were collected and identified during 2015-2020 from the study area. One hundred and one species of mushrooms were reported new to the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The dominant mushroom family was Russullaceae with 23 species followed by Agaricaceae, 16 species. Major mushroom species identified and grouped by the PCA were Coprinus comatus, Lactarius sangufulus, Amanita fulva, Armillaria gallica, Lycoperdon perlatum, Lycoperdon pyriforme, and Russula creminicolor. Sparassis crispa, Pleurotus sp and Laetiporus sulphurous were recorded most edible and medicinally significant fungi. Morels were the most expensive and medicinally important among all harvested macro-fungal species. These were reported to use against the common ailments and various health problems. Conclusions: Collection and retailing of WEM contribute to improve the socioeconomic status, providing alternative employment and food security to rural people of the area. These mushrooms are used as a source of food and traditional medicines among the rural informants and could be used a potential source of antibacterial and anticancer drugs in future.

COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF KNOWLEDGE OF WILD EDIBLE MUSHROOMS IN VARNA REGION WITH OTHER FOREIGN GEOGRAPHIC ZONES

Purpose: The interest in evaluation of real knowledge of wild edible mushrooms at individual and population level increases mainly in developing countries. The purpose of our inquiry study was to assess the level of knowledge and awareness of the wild mushrooms in a random sample from the population of Varna region in Bulgaria. Material/Methods: We performed an anonymous questionnaire investigation of 200 adult individuals, 100 males and 100 females, from Varna region, including 17 potential opinions from their personal knowledge of wild edible mushroom usage. Statistical data processing was performed using descriptive methods, variation and correlation analyses. Results: Most respondents acquired their knowledge of wild edible mushrooms from their relatives. From all 200 persons investigated 78 respondents were not capable of recognizing at least one wild edible mushroom at all. More respondents trusted other people, who have very good experience with preparation of wild mushrooms, thus relying on differentiation of a mushroom poison. Their awareness was associated with their capacity to properly recognize wild mushrooms as well as their long-term practice to recognize toxic mushrooms. Just a minority of respondents shared that wild mushrooms in their vicinity could be a problem and had a slight idea of mycotherapy. Only two females had heard about training for wild mushroom recognition. There were statistically significant correlation dependences between respondent’s awareness of wild edible mushrooms, on one hand, and individual sex status, educational level and main residence, on the other hand. Conclusion: Our study identified two most recognized wild edible mushroom species in Varna region, edible boletus (Boletus edulis Bull) and parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera S. F. Gray). Most respondents acquired their knowledge of wild edible mushrooms from relatives. A problem-oriented training of the population on this topic should be performed to improve awareness of common mushroom features and avoid mushroom poisoning.

ANALYSIS OF USAGE AND QUALITY OF WILD EDIBLE MUSHROOMS BY PEOPLE FROM BULGARIA, COMPARED TO OTHER FOREIGN COUNTRIES

Purpose: Wild edible mushrooms are collected and consumed for centuries worldwide and in Bulgaria as well. This questionnaire investigation aimed at assessing some common mushroom usage practices in a random sample from the population in Varna region, Bulgaria. Material/Methods: We performed a study of 200 adult individuals, 100 males and 100 females, from Varna region using anonymous questionnaire with 12 basic items about wild edible mushroom usage. Statistical data processing was performed using descriptive methods and correlation analysis. Results: There was a prevalence of male and female individuals with secondary and higher education. Most respondents preferred wild edible mushroom gathering in contrast to purchasing. The positive attitude towards wild edible mushroom usage as food is more common in males than in females. Most respondents consumed wild edible mushroom several times during any year. There were statistically significant correlations between urban main residence, on one hand, and wild edible mushroom non-nutritional usage, cooking, drying, preservation and freezing, on the other hand; between secondary educational level, on one hand, and positive attitude towards nutritional usage of wild edible mushrooms, wild edible mushroom cooking, preservation, freezing and drying and applications as therapeutic means; as well as between individual female sex belonging and wild edible mushroom applications as therapeutic means, on the other hand. Conclusion: This questionnaire investigation revealed several interesting peculiarities of the attitudes towards wild edible mushrooms among the population of Varna region and the extent of usage of common mushrooms depending on sex, educational level and main residence of respondents.

Distribution and Origin of Major, Trace and Rare Earth Elements in Wild Edible Mushrooms: Urban vs. Forest Areas

This paper investigates the composition of major, trace, and rare earth elements in 15 different species of wild edible mushrooms and the possible effect of urban pollution on elemental uptake. The collected mushrooms include different species from the green areas of the city, exposed to urban pollution, and from the forests, with limited anthropogenic influence. Through a comprehensive approach that included the analysis of 46 elements, an attempt was made to expand knowledge about element uptake by mushroom fruiting bodies. The results showed a wide variability in the composition of mushrooms, suggesting a number of factors influencing their element uptake capacity. The data obtained do not indicate significant exposure to anthropogenic influences, regardless of sampling location. While major elements’ levels appear to be influenced more by species-specific affinities, this is not true for trace elements, whose levels presumably reflect the geochemical characteristics of the sampling site. However, the risk assessment showed that consumption of excessive amounts of the mushrooms studied, both from urban areas and from forests, may have adverse health effects.

Element contents and health risk assessment in wild edible mushrooms of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The content of macro- and microelements in dry samples of mushrooms of the species Macrolepiota procera, Boletus edulis and Cantharellus cibarius, collected at different areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was determined using the ICP-OES method (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry). Of the macroelements, K is the most represented, followed by S, P, Mg, and the least represented Ca and Na. Zn is the most represented of the essential microelements, followed by Fe, Se, Cu, Mn and Co. Al is the most abundant of the other trace elements followed by Ni and Cr. Of the toxic metals, the most represented is Cd, followed by Pb and As. There are differences in the concentration of micro- and macroelements in the mushrooms analysed, depending on the area from which they were collected because natural geology and geochemistry influence the content of macro- and microelements in wild edible mushrooms. The results show that the analysed mushrooms can be considered a good source of essential elements. The study also assessed potential health risks of heavy metals and the target hazard quotient (THQ) for As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni and Cr in the analysed mushrooms was lower than the safe level. The carcinogenic risk index revealed that Cd and Ni are the most prevalent pollutants in the mushrooms studied.

Collection And Consumption of Wild Edible Mushrooms In Three Villages of Binga, Zimbabwe

This study evaluates the importance of wild edible mushrooms as food in three villages of the Binga, Zimbabwe. A purposive sampling method was employed to select three villages from two (Local Government Area) wards, 25 households per each village randomly selected from the total household list provided by the district administration department, with a total of 75 households. An open ended, structured semi structured interview guide was used to provide a preliminary list of wild edible mushrooms in the area and the identification methods used, using seven households from the three villages. Structured, semi-structured and guided forest walks with some of the informants and forest picking observation was carried out with local guide assistants who have the skills of local (Tonga) language and Shona language. An econometric model was used to identify the factors influencing wild edible mushroom consumption in the study area. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. Results from purposive sampling showed that seven ethnospecies of wild edible mushrooms were listed (in Tonga and scientific names in parenthesis: Bakapyapya (Cantharellus spp), Bakayanda (Amanita loosii (zambiana)), Bwabbaya (Termitomyces spp), Indyuu (Termitomyces titanicus), Madongila (Amanita spp), Mbuse (Termitomyces clypeatus), Nowa (Lactarius kabansus) and Indyuu, Madongila, Nowa) and of these three were noted as extinct species (Indyuu, Madongila, Nowa). About 43% of the participants consumed wild edible mushrooms once every day, 19% twice every day and 14% every second day during the rainy season, underpinning the potential importance of wild edible mushrooms for food security. Around 52% of the participants collected wild edible mushrooms once every day, 28.6% of the every second day while around 16% collected once a week, during the rainy season. Ethnobotanical knowledge of wild edible mushrooms was mainly passed orally from elderly to young people (72.9% of the participants), while 15.7% passed by mothers to their children and 11% learned from female elders to young women and girls. Identification techniques such as texture feeling, colour underneath and on top, breaking and observing milk like liquid oozing out and points of collection were used. Women (21.4%), women accompanied by girl child (24.3%) are especially involved in wild edible mushrooms collection, while a minority 1.4% men, women accompanied by boy child (7.1%) did the collection. The mean monthly income per household is US$108.57, largest in Simandala and lowest in Dumbwe. The average age of the participants is 45.37 years. Of the 70 participants, 61.4 were female and 38.6 were male. Average consumption of wild edible mushrooms per meal per household is 1.436kg. About 95.7% of the participant served wild edible mushrooms as main relish, accompanying the staple. The mostly consumed were Indyuu (Zhouchuru) and Bakayanda (Nhedzi), consumed by 100% of the participants. Linear regression showed that the coefficients were positive and not significant at p<0.05 level, only significant on household size.

AN ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF WILD EDIBLE MUSHROOMS - A POTENTIAL RESOURCE OF FOOD AND INCOME GENERATION IN PABBAR VALLEY, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

The Western Himalayan region is rich in wild mushrooms. The people living in this area have extensive traditional mycological knowledge. The wild edible mushrooms have been consumed from the earliest history and also possess medicinal properties. The seasonal collections of wild edible mushrooms constitute a food with nutritional value and a source of income for the rural local inhabitants. In the present day, mushrooms are valued as popular food because of low in fat, carbohydrate, and cholesterol-free, and rich in vitamins. The lifestyle change is now responsible for a severe reduction in the collection of these mushrooms. The knowledge in the local environment gets lost when it is not gathered. The study aimed to investigate the knowledge and use of wild edible mushrooms in Pabbar Valley, Himachal Pradesh. A total of 13 species of mushrooms belonging to 11 families were identified as edible from the area. Morchella spp. are collected mainly for trade purposes.