Mushrooms are the edible fleshy fruiting bodies of certain fungi, which may be gathered wild or grown under cultivation. The most commonly cultivated mushroom species are Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus sp. and Valvaria sp., although many other species are now gaining recognition in India due to the widespread consumption in Asian countries. Mushrooms contain plenty of proteins and minerals, several B group vitamins and are regarded as a healthy food or food supplement. Moreover, due to certain chemical compounds valued for their medicinal properties, mushrooms have gained more and more interest from the health food industry.

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