Nutritional value of edible wild mushrooms - their roles in meeting the nutritional requirements of people in developing countries.

Abstract The wonderful nutritional value and medicinal properties found in edible wild mushrooms have turned this invaluable famine food into an important food source for sustainable malnutrition alleviation in developing countries and a precious source of bioactive compounds for nutraceutical industries. Studies have shown that edible wild mushrooms are not only alternative food sources for malnutrition amelioration but also play an important role in improving the socio-economic status of people in developing countries. The great potential of underutilized edible mushrooms has motivated this review, which reviews the roles and potential of these wild fungi as an important food source for their chemical and nutritional properties in alleviating nutrient deficiencies. Most of the nutritional intervention programmes that integrate edible wild mushrooms or involve the cultivation of mushrooms are still in their infancy. Therefore, complete studies on the toxicological properties, antinutritional factors, bioavailability of nutrients and the effect of thermal treatments on the nutritional value of edible wild mushrooms are needed. Furthermore, this information is important for the establishment of policies on careful exploitation of natural resources for human wealth.