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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
In several regions of Africa, the daily diet is partly dependent on the edible products
from wild animals, plants, and mushrooms, driven by their availability, wide distribution
in the local environment, and the low incomes of the general population. The documentation
of ethnomycological information is particularly important to validate or correct
the identification of specimens and the preservation of these natural resources with
cultivation potential, thus improving their consumption and utilization for medicinal
purposes. The number of wild edible mushroom species consumed varies between
different regions of Africa, with around 300 species being documented in the literature.
However, despite its rich biodiversity, theAfrican continent is still underexploited,
which is reflected in poor food contribution to populations that are often in need.
Here, the safe use of mushrooms is guided by the insufficiency of studies that validate
their nutritional and medicinal properties, since they are key factors in the suppression
of protein deficiency in the everyday diet of the populations and a source of bioactive
compounds useful for the formulation of added-value functional products. Thus, it
becomes essential to investigate African mushrooms, not only from the identification
point of view, but also in terms of nutritional, chemical, and bioactive characterization,
hence deepen the knowledge about this valuable natural resource. Bearing these
in mind, the main objective of this study is to systematize the knowledge available in
scientific publications and specialized websites, thus gathering information about the
valuable profits that come from using these widely appreciated natural products.
Description
Keywords
Edible and medicinal fungi Ethnomycology Non-timber forest products
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Bastos, Claudete António André; Liberal, Ângela; Moldão-Martins, Margarida; Catarino, Luís; Barros, Lillian. Ethnomycological prospect of wild edible and medicinal mushrooms from Central and Southern Africa - a review. Food Frontiers. eISSN 2643-8429. 4:2, p. 549-575
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell