Friday, January 16, 2015
Year after year, studies show that mushrooms are suitable for just about anything: from culinary delights to medicinal purposes and even waste management! Judging by the resilience of this organism, it makes sense. Fungi appeared on earth 1.3 billion years ago and were the first organisms to come ashore. The varieties of fungi are seemingly inexhaustible: in Greece alone, there are 2,200 species recorded, but it is estimated that the actual figure is double.
Taste
Starting from the simple pleasures, say gastronomy, the cultivation of truffles, also known as the "kitchen’s black diamonds," is a well known secret for elevated tastes and is now gaining ground also in Greece.
Health
The medicinal qualities of fungi are sometimes extremely beneficial. The International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms has published studies which praise mushrooms for regulating blood pressure, boosting the immune system and suppressing forms of cancer. In Greece, the technology for the cultivation of medicinal mushrooms started in 2006, with the support
of the Agricultural University of Athens.Last but not least is the use of fungi in liquid waste management. In an effort to tackle this serious problem in the Mediterranean, the Technical University of Athens uses fungi in the treatment of liquid waste, coming mostly from food processing plants, such as olive oil factories.
