Mushrooms-Source of Nutraceuticals

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Satyawati Sharma

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India

: J Food Nutr Disor

Abstract

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Mushrooms are the rich source of proteins, minerals, vitamins (particularly vitamin D), antioxidants and many other nutraceutical components. The fruiting bodies of mushrooms have been used as food and/ or food-flavoring materials for their unique and subtle flavor. As the whole life cycle of mushroom fungi ,from mycelium colonization to the fruit-body formation, is time consuming and involves extensive labor (also observed at CRDT, IIT Delhi for various mushrooms), submerged cultivation of mushroom fungi could be a promising alternative for obtaining health related effective fungal constituents for their successful utilization in the functional foods. Submerged culturing – a fast process, under optimal growth conditions with various amendments, can enhance quality and yield prospects with the biological mechanisms responsible for their therapeutic properties and applications. So far, no studies have been reported on the optimization of different conditions for the quantity and quality improvement of mycelia of the Pleurotus eryngii and Calocybe indica mushroom species. Also, the food fortification with enriched nutraceutical mushroom mycelium (Vit. D, Vit. B12, proteins, antioxidants, polysaccharides etc.) as a food component, has not been reported. The present paper deals with the improvement in quality and quantity of fruit bodies of Calocybe indica and mycelia of P. eryngii and C. indica by making various interventions during their growth and processing for different functional food products. The findings on all aspects will be presented at conference.

Biography

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