Mushrooms Essay

807 Words4 Pages
An edible mushroom is a delicacy relished as popular but costly food. In the developed countries, mushrooms have become one of the most important of all the horticultural crops. The production of mushrooms is increasing rapidly throughout the world, which is available all the year round and is used in many kinds of table dishes. There are about 6,000 different species of which at least 1,290 are reported to the edible. Mushrooms are used as food as well as medicine since time immemorial. The edible variety contains a high percentage of protein, all indispensable amino acids, and vitamins B-complex and other biochemical compounds. The protein value of mushroom is double that cabbage, potatoes and asparagus four times to that of tomatoes and carrot and six times to that of oranges. Mushrooms are source of niacin (0.4g) and riboflavin (0.4 mg). They serve as a good source of trypsin enzyme, and are rich in iron, copper, calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and folic acid. They have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine to promote good health and vitality and increasing body's adaptive abilities. Mushrooms can be grown by almost anyone and anywhere. However, cultivation of this edible fungus also consumes agricultural and industrial wastes and produces such as straw and molasses, which is an excellent fertilizer and soil conditioner. Mushrooms have no colouring matter and so do not need sunlight to obtain the requisite nutrients for survival. They can grow in darkness where no other crop would easily flourish. A crop of mushroom can be produced in boxes beneath the kitchen sinks and in garden sheds. For large-scale cultivation of mushroom, properly designer rooms/paces are needed, which should provide suitable temperature, humidity and darkness. Mushrooms are fleshy fungi, which are generally used as delicacy from the time immemorial. It is very

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