Potentiality of Mushrooms Cultivation as Resources for Food and Folk Medicine

The possibility to apply of higher fungi, mushroom, as a potential food and folk medicine sources is reviewed . The total world production of the cultivated edible mushroom has been increased dramatically since the end of the World War II. Some scientist has predicted that worldwide mushroom production will continue to increase at an average annual rate of 8% to the early of 21 century. Much interest has been aroused recently in the possibility of growing microorganism on a large scale to provide a cheap source of protein, food and folk medicine for antitumors and adult diseases. Large-scale culture for mushroom mycelium in submerged liq uid culture has been realized . Despite the small contribution in terms of food and protein resources, mushrooms will remain a valuable food for many people. Not only does the mush room have a unique flavor, its protein value lies somewhere between that of meat and vegeta bles. In addition mushrooms rank highly for their vitamin content and make an important con tribution to the supply of some minerals in the diet. Lately it could not be negligible to have research the effect of the mushroom and its culture filtrates on cancer, antitumor and the other adult diseases and the possibility as very important folk medicines. In order to produce high value-added mushrooms, its fungal mycelia, and its use of food processing, certain technical difficulties in their productions could be overcome.