Functional properties of edible mushrooms.

Chang R

Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA.

 

Edible mushrooms such as shiitake may have important salutary effects on health or even in
treating disease. A mushroom characteristically contains many different bioactive compounds with
diverse biological activity, and the content and bioactivity of these compounds depend on how
the mushroom is prepared and consumed. It is estimated that approximately 50% of the annual 5
million metric tons of cultivated edible mushrooms contain functional "nutraceutical" or medicinal
properties. In order of decreasing cultivated tonnage, Lentinus (shiitake), Pleurotus (oyster),
Auricularia (mu-er), Flammulina (enokitake), Tremella (yin-er), Hericium, and Grifola (maitake)
mushrooms have various degrees of immunomodulatory, lipid-lowering, antitumor, and other
beneficial or therapeutic health effects without any significant toxicity. Although the data for this
functional food class are not as strong as those for other functional foods such as cruciferous
vegetables, because of their potential usefulness in preventing or treating serious health conditions
such as cancer, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and hypercholesterolemia,
functional mushrooms deserve further serious investigation. Additionally, there is a need for
epidemiological evidence of the role of this functional food class.

 

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