Volume 1, Issue 2
Date-released: September 20, 2015
News reports
The 7th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference
The 8th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference
The Gordon and Tina Wasson Award: Paul Stamets
Up-coming events
International Seminar of Prof. S. T. Chang's Academic Thoughts
The 9th Chinese Mushrooms Days
Points and Reviews
Professor Shu-Ting Chang on his 85th Birthday, by Solomon P. Wasser
The Role of Culinary - Medicinal Mushrooms on Human Welfare with a Pyramid Model for Human Health (Part II), by Shu Ting Chang and Solomon P. Wasser
Call for Papers
Contact information
Issue Editor- Mr. Ziqiang Liu
lzqynkm@vip.163.com
Department of Edible Mushrooms, CFNA,
4/F, Talent International Building
No. 80 Guangqumennei Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 10062, China
NEWS REPORTS
The 7th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference
The 7th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference (IMMC7) was successfully held in Beijing, China, from August 26 - 29, 2013. Organized by the Chinese Academy Engineering (CAE) and China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce, and Animal By-Products (CFNA), the theme of the conference was Medicinal mushrooms and their products in global healthcare systems in the 21st century. The conference was constituted by Keynote speeches, International Top-level Forum on Engineering Science and Technology Development- Medicinal Mushrooms, and Scientific Forum or seminar on Medicinal Mushrooms and Satellite Symposia. The conference gathered scientists, medicinal mushroom experts, and business representatives from 38 countries or regions in the world. 997 people attended this event. Two globally respected people, Professor ST Chang and Professor SP Wasser were offered the Lifetime Achievement Award by the IMMC for their continuous effort on contributing and supporting the development of academic research and industry in medicinal mushrooms.
Group photo of all the attendees for the 7th IMMC (Copyright by ISMM and Jiangsu Alphay Biotechnology Co. Ltd.)
Professor ST Chang and Professor SP Wasser were delivering speeches on the opening ceremony
(Copyright by ISMM and Jiangsu Alphay Biotechnology Co. Ltd.)
Professor Yu Li, the president of the organizing committee and Mr Hui Chen, were delivering their greetings for the conference (Copyright by ISMM and Jiangsu Alphay Biotechnology Co. Ltd.)
Glance of the audiences in IMMC 7’s conference room (Copyright by ISMM and Jiangsu Alphay Biotechnology Co. Ltd.)
Professor Yu Li, President of the organizing committee, and Mr Hui Chen, Executive President of IMMC7 and President of Jiangsu Alphay Biotechnology Co., Ltd, China, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Professor ST Chang and Professor SP Wasser. (Copyright by ISMM and Jiangsu Alphay Biotechnology Co. Ltd.)
The 8th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference
The 8th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference (IMMC8) was held in Manizales, Colombia, 24-27 August 2015. Here we attached the full closing speech of Professor SP Wasser, the Honor Chairman of the 8th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference.
“The time we spent in Monsales was very productive for all of us. In our conference approximately 250 scientists from different fields of MMs and specialists in mushroom production from all over the world from more than 30 countries came together.
Most of the participants came from South America (a total of 150), 25 from Europe, 20 from Asia, ----30 from North America, 5 from Africa, and 1 from Australia. The speakers at our conference were from Australia, Israel, Ukraine, Colombia, Italy, USA, China, Germany, Ecuador, Finland, Holland, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Slovenia, Malaysia, Croatia, Argentina, Poland, Cuba, Nigeria, Japan, Serbia, Costa Rica, and others.
During this conference, we heard 4 plenary speeches dedicated to the most important and current problems of MM science. We had different symposia presentations dedicated to potential values of medicinal mushroom products; science and biotechnology; new developments in medicinal mushroom products; quality control and regulations; industrial productions and marketing, and technology of cultivation and fermentation of medicinal mushrooms in LatinAmerica; Grifola frondosa perspectives and challenges; clinical trials involving medicinal mushrooms; medicinal mushrooms in animal health and production; medicinal value and pharmacology of mushroom active compounds, and poster sessions.
I think I can safely say that it has been a great pleasure for all of us at the 8th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference. I would like to thank all of the organizers and sponsors once again for a successful scientific conference, and I extend my deepest appreciation for a most enjoyable stay in Manizales. I am sure we can all agree on this!
I would like to again thank our Chairman Professor Carmella Jaramillo, Honor Chairman Professor Shu-Ting Chang and all of the Organizing Committee, and to the sponsors of our Conference, on a fantastic job and we all thank them for making this happen.
These conferences are an excellent opportunity to bring new information on the latest and hottest topics in medicinal mushrooms, on the current trends of medicinal mushroom science as well as highlighting the unsolved problems that we need to resolve.
This is the key for future development of medicinal mushroom science. I would especially like to bring your attention to the continued importance of studying the influence of mushrooms and mushroom products on the human body. Also, the importance of high-quality, long-term, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies of medicinal mushrooms.
Problems of taxonomy and nomenclature of medicinal mushrooms are the critical points of our science. We can not treat humans with genus Ganoderma sensu lato or sensu stricto, or with such invalid taxa as Pleurotus florida, or Agaricus blazei, which does not even exist in culture. We need to know the exact scientific name of species because without the correct names of species all our studies will not be valid.
We need to develop the standardization of medicinal mushroom dietary supplements and their safety. We need to use Professor S.T. Chang’s 5G guidelines for production quality mushroom product We need to conduct intensive studies on low-molecular-weight secondary metabolites of medicinal mushrooms. We must stress attention to the development of new medicinal mushroom products. More studies dedicated to medicinal mushroom B-glucans, including problems of solubility in water and mechanisms of intestinal absorption are needed. Researchers need to develop new methods and processes of studying medicinal mushrooms, including the discovery of new species of mushrooms with pharmaceutical benefits. More research on farm animals and medicinal mushrooms must be done. Research on medicinal mushrooms, such as agricultural insecticides and anti-plant virus compositions, are also needed. And last, but not least, we need to work on how to bridge and integrate Western & Eastern medicines in the field of medicinal mushrooms.
We had a wonderful opportunity to experience Colombian culture. We also had the possibility to visit important historical places in Manizales. Also, we had the opportunity to see first-hand the laboratory of Caldas University, Bios Enterprise (a center of computational biology), and an ecological walking trip and cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum on coffee residues.
I am sure that many of us had new scientific cooperations because of the associations we made in Manizales.
Again, I would like to stress the importance of having new, young participants join our medicinal mushroom scientific community as a way to exchange new ideas and discuss future possibilities.
I hope we will meet in 2017 for the 9th International Medicinal Mushrooms Conference, which will be held in Palermo in Italy. During our history, we organized 8 IMMCs with Professor S.T. Chang: 3 in Europe, 3 in Asia, 1 in North America, and 1 in South America.
Professor Giuseppe Venturella, Chairman and organizer of the next medicinal mushroom conference in Italy talked briefly and presented a short presentation on the place where we will have our next medicinal mushroom conference, and at this time, he invited all of us to Italy.
I wish all of us good health and success in the future. I look forward to seeing most of you in Italy!
Solomon P. Wasser
Honor Chairman of the 8th IMMC
In September 2001, the first IMMC was held in Kiev in the Ukraine. The second IMMC was conducted in Thailand, in 2003. The third IMMC was held in Port Townsend, USA, in 2005. The fourth IMMC was held in Slovenia, Ljubljana, in 2007. In 2009, the 5th IMMC was held in Nantong, China. In 2011 in Zagreb, Croatia, the 6th IMMC was organized. The 7th IMMC was organized in Beijing, China. To date, eight IMMCs (3 in Europe, 3 in Asia, 1 in North America, and 1 in South America) have been organized.
The Gordon and Tina Wasson Award: Paul Stamets
Adopted from Inoculum 66(4), July 2015 7-8
The Gordon and Tina Wasson Award was offered for the first time this year. It was designed to recognize people with non-traditional academic backgrounds who have made outstanding contributions to the field of mycology, or who have widely transmitted significant scientific or aesthetic knowledge about fungi to the general public. Nominees for the award are judged on the basis of the impact and quality of their contributions and on their sustained commitment to the field of mycology.
Two of his books are worth special attention because of their impact and popularity. Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, published in 2000, is listed as the #1 best seller in the mushrooms section of Amazon, and according to Google Scholar, it has been cited more than 740 times. The reasons for its popularity are clear. It’s loaded with useful information on how to grow many different species of mushrooms, it’s well illustrated, and it’s entertaining to read. Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World, published in 2005, is Paul’s most recent book. It has now been cited 137 times, but this does not begin to capture its impact on the general public. Those who nominated Paul for the Wasson Award pointed out that in the last few years almost every member of the general public that is excited about fungi became that way after reading this book, and the most common questions they ask of mycologists is “Do you know Paul Stamets?” and “Have you read Mycelium Running?”
Paul has been a highly successful entrepreneur. Fungi Perfecti, http://www.fungi.com/, which was founded by Paul in 1980, is the first and largest of his companies. It offers an impressive variety of mushroom growing kits due to Paul’s innovations and passion for growing fungi. The offerings at Fungi Perfecti have expanded into many other items including books, mushroom health supplements, gourmet mushroom products, and various types of fungal-related gifts.
As mentioned above, Paul has been recognized with many awards, and the list is too long to give here. But there is one in particular that is worth highlighting: the AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassador award. The award recognizes Paul’s innovative work and his abilities as spokesman for environ- mental problem solving. Quoting from the website http://www.aaas.org/news/aaas-and-lemelson-foundation-announce-2014-inaugural-class-aaas-lemelson-invention ambassadors:
“This esteemed group of Ambassadors are from academia, industry, private companies; have approximately 150 patents amongst them; and have demonstrated: (1) a high regard for the role of invention; (2) an invention track record; (3) an accomplished professional career; (4) a commitment to invention’s role in impacting environmental sustainability; and (5) experience or interest in speaking to audiences. Ambassadorships are 12 months long and each Ambassador will be evangelists for invention in strategically selected public engagement venues.”
Paul’s recognition as one of only seven people for this new award is certainly impressive by any measure.
Paul’s message that fungi can help save the world is derived in part by his belief in fungal supplements and medical applications of natural fungal products, and his work with mycoremediation. Paul has been collaborating with others to investigate the effects of fungal supplements, and he is also involved with NIH-supported clinical trials. This work has resulted in several peer-reviewed papers and may ultimately spawn some breakthrough discoveries. His work with mycofiltration has similarly resulted in several papers, and has been applied in several test sites. The majority of his patents are related to “mycoinsecticides”, a topic in which he has recently become very interested. This interest also forms the basis of one of his new companies: Mycopesticide LLC, and it is another manifestation of his idea that fungi can help save the world.
In summary Paul Stamets is a highly original, self-trained member of the mycological community who has had a huge and sustained impact on the field of Mycology. Awarding the first Wasson award to him sets a high bar for the future. It also allows us to recognize a member of our field that the general public and AAAS have already identified as a leader and spokesperson. Sincere congratulations are due to Paul!
Up-coming Events
International Seminar of Prof. S. T. Chang's Academic Thoughts
You are invited to attend the “International Seminar of Prof. S. T. Chang's Academic Thoughts”, which is to be held in Shanghai, China from Sept. 25 to 27, 2015.
This seminar is dedicated to Professor S. T. Chang on the occasion of his 85th birthday this year. Prof. Chang, Emeritus Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, internationally well-known mushroom scientist, Honorary Life Fellow of the British Mycological Society, initiator of the World Society for Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products, Honorary Chairman of the International Society for Medicinal Mushroom Science, and an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, is recognized as the “father of international edible and medicinal mushrooms”. Prof. Chang has made outstanding contributions to the development of edible and medicinal mushrooms in China and the world.
The seminar will conduct extensive discussions on the academic thoughts of Prof. Chang, as well as on the future development of the field of mushroom, orienting the new round of development of mushroom industry in China and the world.
The event will be organized by:
World Society for Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products
International Society for Medicinal Mushroom Science
International Society for Mushroom Science
Please contact the Secretariat’s office for more information
Edible Fungi Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences
No. 12 Building, 1000 Jinqi Road, Shanghai 201403, China
Tel: +86-21-62209807, 62200794, 18918162205
Fax: +86-21-62201337
E-mail：syja17@saas.sh.cn
The 9th Chinese Mushroom Days
The 9th Chinese Mushroom Days will be held on November 15- 17, 2015 in Zhangzhou, Fujian, China.
Notification of the up-coming event will be published soon! For more information, please feel free to contact mushroomdays@hotmail.com
Points and Reviews
Professor Shu-Ting Chang on his 85th Birthday
by Solomon P. Wasser
Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology and Institute of Evolution, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
On September 30th, 2015, Professor Shu-Ting Chang, S-T to many of his friends and acquaintances, editor of the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, celebrated his 85th birthday. Dr. Chang was born in Yuanping, Shanxi, China, but he is Australian by nationality since 1973. He is married to Judy Li-Ju Chang (nee Lee). Their children are: David Ming-Tsan, Barbara Ming-Wai, Judy Ming-Sze, Ernest Ming-Cheng, and Jennifer Ming-Jing. They have 13 grandchildren.
Professor Chang’s name occupies a prominent place in The World of Mycology because of his outstanding input into the field of mushroom biology, mushroom cultivation, and medicinal mushrooms. Chang’s wide circle of interests, his clarity of scientific vision, his enormous energy, his enthusiasm and honesty are just a few of his many great personal attributes.
Professor Chang graduated from the National Taiwan University and received a B.S. degree in 1953. He received his MS. from the University of Wisconsin, USA, in 1958. He stayed on at the University of Wisconsin to pursue his Ph.D., which he received in 1960. After receiving his Ph.D., he started his professional career at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He began as an assistant lecturer in biology and worked his way up to an Emeritus Professor. All throughout his scientific career, over a span of 45years, he has been connected to CUHK in one way or another. He also influenced administrative changes in the Department of Biology at CUHK. For 11 years (from 1983-1994) he served as Chairman of the Department of Biology. From 1974-1977 he was the Dean of the Faculty of Science. From 1979 to 1981 he served as the Director of the Office of Student Affairs. From 1975 to 1985 he was the Director of Research Laboratory for Food Protein Production. In 1983 until 1994 he was Director of the Marine Science Laboratory. In 1985 he became the Director of the Institute of Science and Technology until 1992. In 1980 he was the Head of the Division of Biology in the Graduate School. From 1983 through 1994 he was Chairman of the Board of Studies in Biology. Professor Chang became Chairman of the Science Center Management Committee, which he served on for three years. In 1991 he worked as Director of the Chinese Medicinal Material Research Center for one year. In 1993 until 1995 he became Chairman of the Science Engineering Complex Management Committee.
Since 1960 Professor Chang’s main field of research has been mushroom biology, mushroom technology for cultivation, and mushroom biotechnology for tonic and medicinal products. The main philosophy and drive behind this line of research for the past 55 years can be summarized as follows.
Modern technology for human civilization is expanding every day. However, human beings still face, and will continue to face three basic problems capable of causing crises: shortage of food, pollution of the environment, and diminishing quality of human health resulting from a continuously increasing world population. Mushrooms (macrofungi) not only can convert the huge lignocellulosic biomass waste into rich protein food, but can also produce notable nutriceutical/pharmaceutical products that have many health benefits. The most significant aspect of mushroom cultivation is to create pollution free or zero emission environments.
In addition, mushroom-based farming and industry could provide employment to the youth and women, particularly in rural areas in less developed countries.
Mushrooms are relatively fast-growing organisms. Some tropical mushrooms can be harvested and consumed within 10 days after spawning. By using different varieties, mushrooms can be cultivated all year round.
Professor Chang’s main research areas are:
(1) The life-cycle of mushrooms using genetic and cytological techniques,
(2) Improvement of mushroom strains by genetic manipulation including molecular markers and protoplast fusion techniques,
(3) Nutritive values and medicinal effects of mushrooms,
(4) Development and improvement of cultivation technology,
(5) Development of new concepts of mushroom biology, mushroom science (concerned with mushroom production) and mushroom biotechnology (concerned with mushroom products),
(6) Introduction and development of the terms and concepts: “what is a mushroom?”, “mushroom biology", “mushroom nutriceuticals” and the “non-green revolution” concept. This research has improved the supply of nutritious food for human consumption, the quality of life for humanity, and the condition of polluted environments.
As the result of Professor Chang’s 55 years of research on the basic and applied aspects of mushrooms with over 220 scientific papers and 23 books published, the following major contributions have already had and will continue to have an impact at national, regional and global levels.
(1) In 1969, cotton wastes from cotton textile industry were used for the first time to grow straw mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea) in Hong Kong.
(2) Using protoplast techniques to breed high-temperature strains of Lentinus edodes.
(3) The new disciplines of mushroom biology and mushroom biotechnology was established leading to the First International Conference on Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products, held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, 23-26 August 1993, and also leading to the formation of the World Society of Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products (WSMBMP).
(4) Introduction of the term and concept “Mushroom Nutriceuticals” with Professor J.A. Buswell in 1996.
(5) Mushroom cultivation and mushroom products were named as the “Non-green Revolution” for the first time, in 1998, due to positive effects of cultivation and development of edible and medicinal mushrooms on equitable economic growth and human welfare. Benefits include use of mushrooms as food, health tonic, medicine, animal feed, fertilizer, for protecting and regenerating the environment, for promoting sustainable development and contributing positively to economic and social conditions.
Professor Chang is an author or co-author of 23 books. Special attention must be drawn to his latest book with Professor P.G. Miles, published in 2004, entitled “Mushrooms: Cultivation, nutritional value, medicinal effect, and environmental impact”. This book is an encyclopedia review and emphasizes worldwide trends and developments in mushroom biology from an international perspective and is highly recommended for medicinal mycologists, mushroom growers, botanists, plant pathologists, and professionals and scientists in related fields. Chang’s book illustrates that mushroom cultivation has and will continue to have a positive global impact on long-term food nutrition, healthcare, environmental conservation, regeneration, and economic and social change. The value of this book can’t be overestimated. The potentially extensive use of this book can be recognized in universities, classroom, laboratories, etc. This book is useful for beginning students through PhD studies and beyond. This book is a real encyclopedia of mushroom biology including cultivation, nutritional value, medicinal value, and environmental impact. To our knowledge, no past or current book comes close to covering all the subjects considered in this book.
Professor Chang is now the Vice-President of the World Society for Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products. He is Honor President of the International Society of Medicinal Mushrooms. He has served as a member of the Executive Committee of International Society for Mushroom Science (ISMS) from 1996-2004. Professor Chang was also the President of the International Mushroom Society for the Tropics (1981-95), National-Point-of-Contact Representative of Hong Kong for the UNESCO Regional Network of Microbiology in Southeast Asia (1981-93), and Executive Secretary of the Headquarters of the UNESCO Regional Network of Microbiology in Southeast Asia (1984-87). He was elected to be a member of the Executive Board of International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS) (1990-94) and a member of the Standing Committee on Membership, Structure and Status of International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) (1993-96).
Professor Chang was one of the initiators of our special International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. He is and has been an editor of the Journal since its inception in 1999. He has been a critical and proficient reviewer of several articles. He has also been an author himself. During this time he published very important keynote papers in our Journal. They are:
(1)Global impact of edible and medicinal mushrooms on human welfare in the 21st century: nongreen revolution (IJMM, 1999, 1, 1-8)
(2)World production of cultivated edible and medicinal mushrooms in 1997 with emphasis on Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing. In China (IJMM. 1999, 1, 291-300)
(3)Ganoderma lucidum (Curt. : Fr.) P. Karst. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) – a mushrooming medicinal mushroom (IJMM, 2000, 2, 139-146)
(4)A 40-year journey through bioconversion of lignocellulosic wastes to mushrooms and dietary supplements (IJMM,2001,3, 299-310)
(5)The World mushroom industry: trends and technological development (IJMM, 2006, 8, 297-314)
(6)The need for scientific validation of culinary-medicinal mushroom products (IJMM, 8, 187-195)
(7)Develoment of the culinary-medicinal mushrooms industry in China: past, present, and future (IJMM, 2006, 8:1-17)
(8)Development of the world mushroom industry: Applied mushroom biology and international mushroom organizations (IJMM, 2008, 10, 195-208)
(9)Tre role of culinary-medicinal mushrooms on human welfare with a pyramid model for human health (IJMM, 201214(2):95-134)
Since 1977, as an eloquent and prominent speaker, Professor Chang has been associated with agents of the UN, e.g., UNESCO, UNDP/UNOPS, UNU, UNIDO, and FAO as a consultant on mushroom cultivation and mushroom products. Since 2000, Professor Chang has been invited twice by the Commonwealth Secretariat in London to serve as a consultant on mushroom farming in Namibia. He has also been invited to conduct many training workshops/courses on mushroom biology and mushroom biotechnology all over the five continents, most recently in African and Latin American countries, sponsored by UNDP/UNOS. He has also been invited to serve as scientific advisor and Honorary Professor for over 30 research institutes and universities in China.
He has also been honored in receiving the following awards:
--Elected as a Fellow of the World Academy of Arts and Science, Sweden (1989)
--Fellow of the International Institute of Biotechnology, England (1990)
--Fellow of the World Academy of Productivity Science, Sweden (1992)
--International Cooperation Award for Light Industry, China (1990)
--Honorary Life Member of the British Mycological Society (1990)
--Honorary Life Member of the International Society for Mushroom Science, England (1993)
--An Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List (1994)
--Receipient of the Magnolia Silver Award from the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government (2004)
--Outstanding Researcher Award from World Society for Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products (2005)
-- Fellow of the World Technology Network (WTN), USA, (2005)
--West Lake Friendship Award from Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, China (2008)
--Friendship Award from the Chinese Government, the country's highest award for foreign experts for their contributions to its economic and social development (2009)
--Honorary Fellowship from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2012)
The diversity of Chang’s research programs, scientific, organizational, and pedagogical activities and his significant achievements in various fields of mycology represent him as a scientist of a wide scope of interests, a brilliant science organizer, a world scientific leader of the school of mushroom biology, whose achievements and accomplishments became incorporated into the world of science.
Professor Chang was the honor President and main organizer of the 5th International Medicinal Mushrooms Conference (September, 2009, Nantong, China) and, 7th International Medicinal Mushrooms Conference in August, 2013, Beijing, China)
Professor Chang, with his ability to learn languages and his ease in adapting to various cultures, is currently living in Canberra, Australia, with his family. He is an extraordinary, vibrant man in the broadest sense of the word. People are attracted to him like a magnet because of his charm, wit, and erudition. His avocations are traveling, reading, golf, cycling, and walking. From the first encounter with him you sense the warmth of his personality, and his outgoing, unconventional nature. Chang is not only a creative and gifted scientist, but also an intellectual with a broad education. He celebrates his 85th birthday at the peak of his creative activity. We, friends, colleagues, collaborators, and students wish him good health, happiness in all his activities, new creative achievements, good fortune, and wisdom.
The Role of Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms on Human Welfare with a Pyramid Model for Human Health (Part II)
by Shu Ting Chang1* & Solomon P. Wasser2
1Centre for International Services to Mushroom Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China;
2International Center for Biotechnology and Biodiversity of Fungi, Institute of Evolution, and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; N.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine
*Address all correspondence to: S. T. Chang, 3 Britton Place, Mckellar, A.C.T. 2617 Australia; scha6507@bigpond.net.au.
ABSTRACT: Mushrooms are part of fungal biota characterized by wonder. They growfrom lignocellulosic wastes: yet they become so bountiful and nourishing. Mushrooms are environmentally friendly. They biosynthesize their own food from agricultural crop residues, which would otherwise cause health hazards. The extant records show the continued use of some mushrooms, e.g., Lentinus edodes, Ganoderma lucidum, and Cordyceps sinensis, all of which are now centuries old. This review presents a pyramid model for mushroom uses (industries), as food, dietary supplements (tonic), and medicine. A regular intake of mushrooms can make us healthier, fitter, and happier, and help us to live longer. The sense of purpose and vision for the mushroom industries is also briefly discussed. A variety of mushrooms have been used traditionally in many different cultures for the maintenance of health and in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. A total of 126 medicinal functions are thought to be produced by medicinal mushrooms (MM) and fungi, including antitumor, immunomodulating, antioxidant, radical scavenging, cardiovascular, anti-hypercholesterolemia, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, antifungal, detoxification, hepatoprotective, and anti-diabetic effects. Special attention is paid to mushroom polysaccharides. Many, if not all, higher Basidiomycetes mushrooms contain biologically active polysaccharides in fruit bodies, cultured mycelium, and cultured broth. The data on mushroom polysaccharides are summarized for approximately 700 species of higher Hetero- and Homobasidiomycetes. In particular, the most important for modern medicine are polysaccharides with antitumor and immunostimulating properties. Several of the mushroom polysaccharide compounds have proceeded through phase I, II, and III clinical trials and are used extensively and successfully as drugs in Asia to treat various cancers and other diseases. Mushrooms are superior sources of different types of dietary supplements (DSs) (tonics). The advantages of using mushroom-based DSs as a matter of safety (as opposed to herbal preparations) are: (1) The overwhelming majority of mushrooms used for production of DSs are cultivated commercially (and not gathered in the wild). (2) Mushrooms are easily propagated vegetatively and thus keep to one clone. The mycelium can be stored for a long time, and the genetic and biochemical consistency can be checked after a considerable time. (3) The main advantage, in our opinion, is that many mushrooms are capable of growing in the form of mycelial biomass in submerged cultures. In this review, we discuss legal and regulatory issues introducing and controlling DSs from MMs in different countries, including the United States, the European Community, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and P.R. China, and guidelines of the World Health Organization. One of the targets of the present review is also to draw attention to many critically important unsolved problems in the future development of medicinal mushroom science in the 21st century.
KEY WORDS: medicinal mushrooms, mushroom industrial uses, dietary supplements (tonics), mushroom medicine, botanical drugs, edible, inedible, hallucinogenic, poisonous, mushroom products, polysaccharides, polysaccharide-protein complexes, beta-glucans, antitumor, immunomodulator activity, macrophages, Ganoderma lucidum, Lentinus edodes, Trametes versicolor, Cordyceps sinensis
ABBREVIATIONS: ADoHA: Australian Department of Health and Ageing; AHCC: active hexose correlated compound; AHPA: American Herbal Products Association; AIDS: acquired immune deficiency syndrome; ANZFA: Australia New Zealand Food Authority; BRMs: biological response modifiers; CAPE: caffeic acid phenethyl ester; COX: cyclooxigenase; CRN: Council for Responsible Nutrition; Dectin-1: dendritic-cell-associated C-type lectin-1; Dectin-2: DC-associated C-type lectin 2; DS: dietary supplement; DSHEA: Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act; EC: European Commission; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay; EU: European Union; FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization; FDA: Food and Drug Administration; FHC: Food with Health Claims; FNFC: Foods with Nutrient Function Claims; FOSDU: Food for Special Dietary Uses; FSANZ: Food Standards Australia New Zealand; FTC: Federal Trade Commission; FW: fresh weight; GMO: Genetically Modified Organism; GMP: Good Manufacturing Practices; GRAS: Generally Recognized as Safe; HIV: human immunodeficiency virus; HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography; IADSA: International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations; IJMM: the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms; IMMC: the International Medicinal Mushroom Conference; ISMS: The International Society of Mushroom Science; IWEMM: The International Workshops on Edible Mycorrhizal Mushrooms; IκBα: inhibitory proteins kappa B; iNOS: inducible nitric oxide synthase; IP: intellectual properties; MM: medicinal mushrooms; NF-κB: nuclear factor kappa B; NK cells: natural killer cells; NIH: National Institutes of Health; NLEA: Nutrition Labeling and Education Act; NNFA: Nutritional Foods Association; NZDSR: New Zealand Dietary Supplements Regulations; NZFSA: The New Zealand Food Safety Authority; ODS: Office of Dietary Supplements; OTC: over the counter; QHC: qualified health claims; PCR: polymerase chain reaction; RT-PCR: reverse transcription PCR; RDA: recommended daily allowance; SF: “Structure/Function”; SSA: significant scientific agreement; TCM: traditional Chinese medicine; TGA: Therapeutic Goods Administration; TLC: thin-layer chromatography; WHO: World Health Organization; WSMBMP: The World Society for Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products; WTO: World Trade Organization.
II. WORLD MUSHROM PRODUCTION
Since the end of World War II, mushroom production has steadily increased in agricultural-based industries. World production of cultivated edible mushrooms over a number of years is shown in Table 1. In 1981, the production totaled 1,257.2 thousand tonnes, in 1986, 2,182.0 thousand tonnes; in those five years, mushroom production increased by 73.6% and there was an annual increase of 14.7%; in 1990, 3,763.0 thousand tonnes; in those four years, production increased 72.5%, with annual increases of 18.1%; in 1994, 4,909.3 thousand tonnes was produced; in those four years, production increased by 30.5%, with an annual increase of 7.6%; and in 1997, production totaled 6,158.4 thousand tonnes, in those three years, production increased 25.4%, with an annual increase of 8.5%. Overall, world mushroom production increased over 12% annually during the period from 1981 to 1997. However, the Agaricus mushrooms decreased in percentage of world total production. This is mainly due to other alternative edible mushrooms becoming more in demand, e.g., Lentinus edodes mushrooms increased both in percentage, from 14.3% in 1981 to 25.2% in 1997, and in production, from 180.0 thousand tonnes to 1,564.4 thousand tonnes. Pleurotus mushrooms increased from 2.8% to 14.2%, and their production from 35.0 thousand tonnes to 875.6 thousand tonnes, with a 25-fold increase. And Auricularia mushrooms increased from 0.8% in 1981 to 7.9 % in 1997, and their production increased from 10.0 thousand tonnes in 1981 to 485.6 thousand tones in 1997, with a 48.5-fold increase. Overall, world mushroom production has steadily increased (Table 1), due mainly to contributions from countries with developing economies including China, India, Poland, and Hungary. In contrast, mushroom production in Western European countries, the United States, and Japan, has remained unchanged or even fallen. China especially has witnessed a huge increase in edible mushroom cultivation, and now makes the largest contribution, by over 80%, to total worldwide output (Table 2). Furthermore, several new species of mushrooms have been recently cultivated and marketed in China (Table 3). India's annual production of mushrooms doubled from 5,000 tonnes in 2001 to 10,000 tonnes in 2004, and is expected to continue rising, at about 25% per annum, for the foreseeable future.
Source: Courtesy communications with the China Edible Fungi Association.24
In Latin America, the annual mushroom production has also increased steadily since 1995. During the period 1995-2001, the estimated commercial mushroom production level in this region rose by 32% (49,975 to 65,951 tonnes), equivalent to an annual increase of 5%.
Since mushroom cultivation can be a labor-intensive agro-industrial activity, it could have great economic and social impact by generating income and employment for both women and youth, particularly in rural areas in developing countries. Using China as an example, in 1978 the total production of mushrooms in China was only 60,000 tonnes, which accounted for less than 6% of total world mushroom production. In 2009, however, total production of mushrooms in China reached 20.2 million tonnes and accounted for over 80% of total world mushroom production. According to recent statistics, in 2009 the value of total mushroom production in China was US$20 billion and the export value of mushrooms was US$1.3 billion. It is estimated that in 2010, the total production was 22 million tonnes and the total value about US$23 billion; the export value of mushrooms was US$2 billion. The export value accounts for only about 10% of the total production value. Total employment in the mushroom industry in China was over 30 million people in 2006, with only 10% of them employed as actual mushroom farmers; other employment categories were in sectors such as food, beverage manufacturing, trading and management, transport, marketing, wholesaling, retailing, export, etc. The mushroom industry can also have even broader positive spillover, generating complementary employment in areas such as accommodation, restaurant services, etc. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that in some counties in China, with a population of just under 200,000 people, 60% of the population were engaged in mushroom production and management. The local mushroom industry can also be the main source of revenue for local government. The development of the mushroom industry in China can be used as a model for other less-developed countries.
Due to the uneven development of regional economies, Chinese mushroom development models/methods and market development have become diversified. Around the metropolises like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, rising numbers of big and modern exotic mushroom farms/factories emerged, while the number of traditional family-run farms began to decline. City dwellers preferred fresh exotic mushrooms, e.g., fresh enokitake (Flammulina velutipes), buna shemeji (Hypsizygus marmoreus), and king oyster (Pleurotus eryngii). In general, a modern farm with a bottle system could produce 5-10 tonnes of fresh mushrooms per day. Several of the modern farms in China produce more than 40 tonnes of fresh mushrooms daily. More than 90% of the production is sold in domestic markets. Actually, about ten years ago, China started to import mushrooms. Mushroom imports in China hit a new record in 2009. The turnover was more than US$6 million, which was three times that of 2008. Korean fresh Flammulina velutipes accounted for 70% of total imports. Both fresh and canned Volvariella volvacea are also imported in considerable quantity from Vietnam.
This dramatic expansion in mushroom production in China in the last 12 years (1990-2009) from 1 million tonnes to 20.2 million tonnes is mainly due to:
(1) The strong leadership and initiative of provincial and county governments in grasping cultivation techniques and promoting production. Under these governments, there is usually a special section called "Office of Mushroom Production," which bears responsibility for mushroom research, production, and training. The office frequently organizes mushroom farming training courses for farmers.
(2) The strong scientific support with the proliferation of mushroom scientists and scholars from various academic institutions in China. It has been estimated that there are more than 500 postgraduate students working for their MSc and PhD degrees in different fields of mushroom biology and applied mushroom biology.25
(3) The great number of new mushroom species (varieties), both edible and medicinal, that have been domesticated and commercialized, e.g., Pleurotus eryngii, P. ferulae, P. nebrodensis, P. abalonus, P. pulmonarius, P. corucopiae, P. tuber-regium, Flammulina velutipes, Coprinus comatus, Agrocybe chaxingu, Dictophora duplicata, Hypsizygus marmoreus, Macrocybe lobayensis, Hericium erinaceus mainly for edible, and Phellinus linteus, Antrodia cinnaomea (=Taiwano-fungus camphorates (niuzhangzhih in Chinese), Cordyceps militaris, Xylaria nigripes(wulingshen in Chinese), Phellinus baumii (sanghuang in Chinese), mainly for medicinal uses.
(4) The many innovations of mushroom cultivation technology by talented mushroom farmers. The synthetic log method for cultivation of Lentinus edodes was invented by farmer Pan Zhaowan in Gutian County in the Province of Fujian. This has raised the living standards of the farmers.
(5) The increase of the domestic market due to the economic boom for the last three decades, which is also a key factor in the expanding cultivation of edible and medicinal mushrooms in China. A survey conducted recently found that mushroom production and product industries are turning their attention toward the rising economies of Asia, and particularly of China.
Production patterns vary according to the geographic region. Although Agaricus bisporus is only one of the many edible mushrooms cultivated globally, it has remained the dominant cultivated mushroom in countries of the Western world. In the United Kingdom and most other Western European states, the mushroom industry is overwhelmingly focused on this species. This production pattern towards A. bisporus is slightly less biased in Spain, the third largest mushroom producer in the European Union countries. A. bisporus accounts for 80% of mushroom production in Spain, where total production rose to 110,000 tonnes in 2004, compared with 26,512 tonnes in 1992 (a 315% increase). In the United States, about 98% of mushroom production is also A. bisporus. However, in 2003, A. bisporus accounted for only 12.8% and 11.6% of the total mushroom production in China and South Korea, respectively, and 0% in Japan.
In contrast, mushroom species other than A. bisporus are far more popular in East Asian countries. This applies especially to Lentinus edodes and species of genus Pleurotus, which, based on recent production figures, have already become the two most popular mushrooms grown worldwide. It should be noted that mushrooms long held popular in Asia (e.g., Lentinus edodes, Flammulina velutipes, and Pleurotus spp.) are now making inroads into Western markets. In Spain, Pleurotus spp. And L. edodes make up 15% and 5%, respectively, of total mushroom production, although this compares with corresponding figures of only 0.5% and 1% in the United States (Table 4). However, where-as Agaricus, Lentinus, and Pleurotus mushrooms together make up nearly 100% of the mushroom production in the U.S and Spain, these three mushrooms account for 72.7%, 58.2%, and 12.3% of the total mushroom output of South Korea, China, and Japan, respectively (Table 5). Clearly, a much wider range of other culinary and medicinal mushrooms are cultivated and marketed in these three Asian countries, particularly in Japan. Although very few of these so-called specialty mushrooms have so far been introduced into Western markets in recent years, they will undoubtedly become increasingly more important in mushroom markets worldwide. (To be continued)
Call for Papers
Aiming to build the relationship between the members and the Society, publication of the newsletters was proposed before the launching of the Society. The newsletters represent one of the key official publications from the Society. Contents of the newsletters will include notifications of the decisions made by the committee board, reviews or comments contributed by ISMM committee members, conference or activities to be organized, and the status updated in the research, industrialization, and marketing for medicinal mushrooms. The newsletters will be quarterly released by the first Monday of every January, April, July, and October, with possible supplementary issues as well. The Newsletter is open to organizations or professionals to submit news, comments, or scientific papers in relating to the medicinal mushroom research, marketing, or industry.
Contact information
For any inquiry in membership enrollment, subscribing to ISMM newsletters, upcoming activities and events organized by ISMM, or submitting news reports, statements, or manuscripts to the Society, please contact the secretariat’s office in Beijing, China.
ISMM Secretariat office, Beijing
Room D-1216, Jun Feng Hua Ting,
No. 69 West Beichen Road,
Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
Tel: +86-10-58772596, 87109859
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