title: Mushrooms and Health Summit proceedings.
abstract: The Mushroom Council convened the Mushrooms and Health Summit in Washington, DC, on 9-10 September 2013. The proceedings are synthesized in this article. Although mushrooms have long been regarded as health-promoting foods, research specific to their role in a healthful diet and in health promotion has advanced in the past decade. The earliest mushroom cultivation was documented in China, which remains among the top global mushroom producers, along with the United States, Italy, The Netherlands, and Poland. Although considered a vegetable in dietary advice, mushrooms are fungi, set apart by vitamin B-12 in very low quantity but in the same form found in meat, ergosterol converted with UV light to vitamin D2, and conjugated linoleic acid. Mushrooms are a rare source of ergothioneine as well as selenium, fiber, and several other vitamins and minerals. Some preclinical and clinical studies suggest impacts of mushrooms on cognition, weight management, oral health, and cancer risk. Preliminary evidence suggests that mushrooms may support healthy immune and inflammatory responses through interaction with the gut microbiota, enhancing development of adaptive immunity, and improved immune cell functionality. In addition to imparting direct nutritional and health benefits, analysis of U.S. food intake survey data reveals that mushrooms are associated with higher dietary quality. Also, early sensory research suggests that mushrooms blended with meats and lower sodium dishes are well liked and may help to reduce intakes of red meat and salt without compromising taste. As research progresses on the specific health effects of mushrooms, there is a need for effective communication efforts to leverage mushrooms to improve overall dietary quality.
authors.affiliation: Consultant to the Food and Agriculture Industries, Los Altos, CA mj@feeney.us.com.
authors.forename: Mary Jo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Feeney
authors.affiliation: Tufts Medical School and USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.affiliation: Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
authors.forename: Clare M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hasler-Lewis
authors.affiliation: Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.affiliation: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Manny
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authors.lastname: Noakes
authors.affiliation: SR Strategy, LLC, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Sylvia
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authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.affiliation: Sylvan, Inc, Kittanning, PA.
authors.forename: Mark
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authors.lastname: Wach
authors.affiliation: Center for Plant and Mushroom Products for Health, Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Beelman
authors.affiliation: Monterey Mushrooms, Inc, Watsonville, CA.
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
authors.forename: Margherita T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cantorna
authors.affiliation: Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Castlebury
authors.affiliation: The Chinese University of Hong Kong, McKellar, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Shu-Ting
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center and Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Lawrence J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Cheskin
authors.affiliation: International Center for Regulatory Science, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Roger
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authors.lastname: Clemens
authors.affiliation: The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY.
authors.forename: Greg
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authors.lastname: Drescher
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Impact, LLC, Battle Creek, MI.
authors.forename: Victor L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Fulgoni
authors.affiliation: Nutrient Data Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Haytowitz
authors.affiliation: NIH Division of Nutrition Research Coordination and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Van S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.affiliation: Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc, Sebastopol, CA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Law
authors.affiliation: The Culinary Institute of America, St Helena, CA.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Myrdal Miller
authors.affiliation: the Mushroom Council, San Jose, CA.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Minor
authors.affiliation: Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
authors.forename: Susan S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Percival
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Science Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, MD.
authors.forename: Gabriela
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authors.lastname: Riscuta
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
authors.forename: Barbara
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authors.lastname: Schneeman
authors.affiliation: Market and Trade Economics Division, Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thornsbury
authors.affiliation: CDT Consulting, LLC, Herndon, VA.
authors.forename: Cheryl D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Toner
authors.affiliation: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA, Washington, DC; and.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Woteki
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Immunology Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Dayong
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authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D055951:Functional Food / Q000032:analysis*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans