Edible Fungi in Mesoamerican Lowlands: A Barely Studied Resource

It’s relatively frequent to hear about the customary consumption and commercialization of wild and cultivated mushrooms in European, North American and Asian tempered zones. In contrast, such a phenomenon has been widely unrecognized in Mesoamerican lowlands. The scarce interest for leading ethnomicological studies in these zones may be caused by a preconception according to which peoples inhabiting them do not use macroscopic fungi. Yet, archaeological evidence shows a relation between fungi and Mayan peoples existed during pre-Hispanic times. Recently, the consumption of 25 fungi species has been documented; of these, Schizophyllum commune and Pleurotus djamor are the most appreciated. An interesting finding is people’s association of edible mushrooms with meat in terms of flavour and nutritional properties. A set of documented cultural practices related to mushroom gathering, commercialization and other informal economic activities permit sustainable advantages providing both nutrimental 218and monetary benefits. Although consumption of wild mushrooms in Mesoamerican lowlands appears to be a desirable practice, ongoing transculturation attempts the endurance of these millenarian practices.