Summary

For millennia, the presence of fungi in food has been both boon and bane to food stores. Fungi can spoil large quantities of food and produce dangerous toxins that threaten human health; however, fungal spoilage in certain foods can produce a unique, highly prized food source and there are some very effective fungal derived medicines. A thorough understanding of the vast body of knowledge relating to food mycology requires an inclusive volume that covers both the beneficial and detrimental roles of fungi in our food supply.

Richly illustrated with full-color images and edited by award winning scientists, Food Mycology: A Multifaceted Approach to Fungi and Food is a comprehensive overview of the many aspects of mycology research. Beginning with post-harvest problems that can include the fungal infection of living crops, the book discusses the high level of communication between plants and fungi and novel techniques currently used to detect a fungal invasion. The second part addresses the fungal spore as a distribution vehicle and the ability of certain spores to survive pasteurization. Certain fungi produce dangerous mycotoxins and part three explains this mechanism, its effects, and the precise identification of mycotoxin-producing fungi. The fourth part considers the parameters and limitations of fungal hyperproduction of enzymes and other metabolites. Devoting considerable space to fungal spoilage, part five explores fungal growth dynamics, molecular detection techniques, and the role of fungal volatiles highlighting wine, cheese, and sausages as exemplar products. The book concludes with edible fungi as tempe, mycoprotein, and the edible fungi hallmark, the fruit bodies.

Bringing together many different areas in the study of fungi in food, Food Mycology: A Multifaceted Approach to Fungi and Food provides a rare single source reference to the still underestimated role of fungi in daily food.