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3.4.1 Directly Consumed as Food
Nutritious values of food can be supplemented by customizing the food with fungi.
Fungi such as mushroom, add texture, flavour, nutritional and medicinal qualities to
the food (Sanchez 2004). Amino acid, vitamins, minerals and lipids are some nutritive values which are provided by fungi. The reproductive fungal stage is generally
called mushrooms. Mushrooms are plump, berry-bearing fruiting bodies of fungus.
It has been seen that some of the species of mushroom grow overnight and expand
on the surface of the ground. But actually, mushrooms take numerous days to grow
and enlarge by the retention of fluid. Parasola plicatilis is one such mushroom
which grows immediately, leaving no terrace on the next day after rainfall (Nagy
et al. 2009), while Pleurotus nebrodensis may take many days to grow (Venturella
2006). The mycelia of fungi decay and recover organic material and take part in
nutrient cycle. Many mushrooms are cultivated commercially in mushroom farms
and then sold in the supermarket. Among them Agaricus bisporus is very famous
among people, as it is grown in a guarded manner; hence, it is safe for human consumption. It acts as an important food source. These mushrooms are rich in water,
carbohydrates, protein and fats too. Some mushrooms have a good amount of vitamin B such as niacin, and riboflavin, while some are a source of vitamin D (Simon
et al. 2013).
3.4.2 Secondary Metabolites
Secondary metabolites are biological components produced by living organisms
like plants, bacteria and fungi. Secondary metabolites are low molecular weight
molecules. Unlike primary metabolites, they do not take part in reproduction, development and growth of organisms (Pusztahelyi et al. 2015). However, they have
long-term effect on individual’s stability. Fungi produce various secondary metabolites which help in the transcription of cells. Some of them have application as
immunosuppressants and antibiotics (Brakhage 2013).
Terpenes, polyketides and non-ribosomal peptides are some of the important fungal metabolites. The first fungal secondary metabolite which was authorized by the
FDA was lovastatin, which mainly helps in lowering the blood cholesterol level.
The source of lovastatin is red yeast rice (Liu et al. 2006) and oyster mushrooms
(Cimerman and Cimerman 1995).
3.4.3 Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages are drinks produced by fermentation of sugar present in the
grains, berries and fruits. In this process, liquid is distilled to an extremely alcoholic
drink. In some parts of Nepal, Tibet and India, fermented by-products are widely
N. Singh and S. Gaur
3.4.1 Directly Consumed as Food
Nutritious values of food can be supplemented by customizing the food with fungi.
Fungi such as mushroom, add texture, flavour, nutritional and medicinal qualities to
the food (Sanchez 2004). Amino acid, vitamins, minerals and lipids are some nutritive values which are provided by fungi. The reproductive fungal stage is generally
called mushrooms. Mushrooms are plump, berry-bearing fruiting bodies of fungus.
It has been seen that some of the species of mushroom grow overnight and expand
on the surface of the ground. But actually, mushrooms take numerous days to grow
and enlarge by the retention of fluid. Parasola plicatilis is one such mushroom
which grows immediately, leaving no terrace on the next day after rainfall (Nagy
et al. 2009), while Pleurotus nebrodensis may take many days to grow (Venturella
2006). The mycelia of fungi decay and recover organic material and take part in
nutrient cycle. Many mushrooms are cultivated commercially in mushroom farms
and then sold in the supermarket. Among them Agaricus bisporus is very famous
among people, as it is grown in a guarded manner; hence, it is safe for human consumption. It acts as an important food source. These mushrooms are rich in water,
carbohydrates, protein and fats too. Some mushrooms have a good amount of vitamin B such as niacin, and riboflavin, while some are a source of vitamin D (Simon
et al. 2013).
3.4.2 Secondary Metabolites
Secondary metabolites are biological components produced by living organisms
like plants, bacteria and fungi. Secondary metabolites are low molecular weight
molecules. Unlike primary metabolites, they do not take part in reproduction, development and growth of organisms (Pusztahelyi et al. 2015). However, they have
long-term effect on individual’s stability. Fungi produce various secondary metabolites which help in the transcription of cells. Some of them have application as
immunosuppressants and antibiotics (Brakhage 2013).
Terpenes, polyketides and non-ribosomal peptides are some of the important fungal metabolites. The first fungal secondary metabolite which was authorized by the
FDA was lovastatin, which mainly helps in lowering the blood cholesterol level.
The source of lovastatin is red yeast rice (Liu et al. 2006) and oyster mushrooms
(Cimerman and Cimerman 1995).
3.4.3 Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages are drinks produced by fermentation of sugar present in the
grains, berries and fruits. In this process, liquid is distilled to an extremely alcoholic
drink. In some parts of Nepal, Tibet and India, fermented by-products are widely
N. Singh and S. Gaur