307
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
C. Egbuna, G. Dable-Tupas (eds.), Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42319-3_17
Chapter 17
Mushroom: Nutraceutical, Mineral,
Proximate Constituents and Bioactive
Component
Sakshi Painuli, Prabhakar Semwal, and Chukwuebuka Egbuna
17.1 Introduction
The kingdom Fungi is a diverse group of decomposers which majorly includes
moulds, yeasts and mushrooms. Mushrooms are found worldwide and are also
known to be the earliest form of fungi to mankind (Okhuoya et al. 2010). Generally,
they are the fruiting bodies of macroscopic filamentous fungi which are usually
known for high nutritional as well as medicinal properties. There are several evidences in history which shows that mushrooms have been consumed by mankind
since a long back in the form of food or medicine. The ancient civilizations of
Greek, Romans, Egyptians, Japanese, Chinese and Mexicans prized mushrooms for
their medicinal properties and consumed them as dietary supplement or medicinal
food (Agrawal and Dhanasekaran 2019; Chang and Zhao 2002; Guzmán 2015;
Hobbs 2002). According to Greeks, mushrooms are the source of strength for
soldiers in battle, whereas Romans believed them as “God’s food” and Chinese
S. Painuli
Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era University,
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization,
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
P. Semwal (*)
Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era University,
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
C. Egbuna
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu
Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra State, Nigeria
Nutritional Biochemistry and Toxicology Unit, World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence,
Centre for Public Health and Toxicological Research (ACE-PUTOR),
University of Port- Harcourt, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
C. Egbuna, G. Dable-Tupas (eds.), Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42319-3_17
Chapter 17
Mushroom: Nutraceutical, Mineral,
Proximate Constituents and Bioactive
Component
Sakshi Painuli, Prabhakar Semwal, and Chukwuebuka Egbuna
17.1 Introduction
The kingdom Fungi is a diverse group of decomposers which majorly includes
moulds, yeasts and mushrooms. Mushrooms are found worldwide and are also
known to be the earliest form of fungi to mankind (Okhuoya et al. 2010). Generally,
they are the fruiting bodies of macroscopic filamentous fungi which are usually
known for high nutritional as well as medicinal properties. There are several evidences in history which shows that mushrooms have been consumed by mankind
since a long back in the form of food or medicine. The ancient civilizations of
Greek, Romans, Egyptians, Japanese, Chinese and Mexicans prized mushrooms for
their medicinal properties and consumed them as dietary supplement or medicinal
food (Agrawal and Dhanasekaran 2019; Chang and Zhao 2002; Guzmán 2015;
Hobbs 2002). According to Greeks, mushrooms are the source of strength for
soldiers in battle, whereas Romans believed them as “God’s food” and Chinese
S. Painuli
Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era University,
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization,
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
P. Semwal (*)
Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era University,
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
C. Egbuna
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu
Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra State, Nigeria
Nutritional Biochemistry and Toxicology Unit, World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence,
Centre for Public Health and Toxicological Research (ACE-PUTOR),
University of Port- Harcourt, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria