Mushrooms traded as food. Vol II sec 2

Mushrooms traded as food. Vol II sec 2
Author: Jørn Gry
Publisher: Nordic Council of Ministers
Total Pages: 474
Release: 2014-07-11
Genre:
ISBN: 9289327057

Mushrooms recognised as edible have been collected and cultivated for many years. In the Nordic countries, the interest for eating mushrooms has increased. In order to ensure that Nordic consumers will be supplied with safe and well characterised, edible mushrooms on the market, this publication aims at providing tools for the in-house control of actors producing and trading mushroom products. The report is divided into two volumes: a. Volume I: “Mushrooms traded as food - Nordic questionnaire and guidance list for edible mushrooms suitable for commercial marketing b. Volume II: Background information, with general information in section 1 and in section 2, risk assessments of more than 100 mushroom species All mushrooms on the lists have been risk assessed regarding their safe use as food, in particular focusing on their potential content of bioactive constituents.

Occurrence and Use of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Containing Psilocybin Alkaloids

Occurrence and Use of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Containing Psilocybin Alkaloids
Author: Christer Andersson
Publisher: Nordic Council of Ministers
Total Pages: 124
Release: 2009
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9289318368

In some parts of the world mushrooms have had a central role in religious ritual ceremonies. Ethnomycological studies among the Indian tribes of Mexico - the Aztecs and the Chichimecas - revealed the mushrooms to be hallucinogenic. Chemists from a leading Pharmaceutical company took over, isolated and described the mushroom alkaloid psilocybin, that upon dephosphorylation after collection of the mushroom or in the human body, form psilocin that is the active hallucinogenic compound. For a long time psilocybin/psilocin was expected to become a constituent of psychedelic drugs useful for treatment of specific psychoses. As the effect of psilocybin/psilocin resembles that of LSD the isolated compound, as well as mushrooms containing the compound, became popular among recreational users of hallucinogenic drugs in Western America, and from there the habit of using these mushrooms have spread around the world. Psilocybin/psilocin is legally prohibited in many countries which usually treat the compound as a narcotic drug. Some countries also prohibit the use of some or all psilocybin-containing mushrooms. In this respect, the legal situation differs between Nordic countries. Although psilocybin-containing mushrooms are not what Nordic mushroom pickers are trying to find as food or food supplement, there is a risk, admittedly small, that these mushrooms accidentally will be collected. At the present situation, this may be a legal problem in some Nordic countries. This document aims at identifying when this might be the case without going into legal interpretations.

Cucurbitacins in Plant Food

Cucurbitacins in Plant Food
Author: Jørn Gry
Publisher: Nordic Council of Ministers
Total Pages: 71
Release: 2006
Genre: Cucurbitaceae
ISBN: 9289313811

Poisoning due to Cucurbitaceous vegetables seems to be linked to intake of immensely bitter vegetables. The bitter and toxic compounds in these vegetables are cucurbitacins, which are well known in wild varieties of these food plants and their related species. The cultivated forms, on the other hand, have during cultivation been selected for being free of the bitter and toxic compounds. Occasionally, cultivars of cucurbitaceous food plants (e.g. squash) back-mutate and regain the ability to produce toxic amounts of cucurbitacins. This review summarises the information available on cucurbitacins in food plants of the family Cucurbitaceae, with the aim to lay down background information required to evaluate the potential risk of being intoxicated by cucurbitacins as a part of the safety assessment of cucurbitaceous food plants, and especially in relation to genetically modified Cucurbitaceous plants.

Catalóg Bhliantúil

Catalóg Bhliantúil
Author: Ireland. Stationery Office
Publisher:
Total Pages: 186
Release: 1998
Genre: Government publications
ISBN:

Alkaloids in edible lupin seeds

Alkaloids in edible lupin seeds
Author: Kirsten Pilegaard
Publisher: Nordic Council of Ministers
Total Pages: 74
Release: 2008
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9289318023

The report reviews the toxicity data on inherent natural toxicants in lupin seeds, especially quinolizidin alkaloids. Lupin seeds are increasingly used in the Nordic countries, partially substituting wheat flour in certain foods. An estimation of the risk by consuming foods containing lupin seeds in the Nordic countries and recommendations to better ensure the safe use of these seeds in foods are given.