Edible,-Toxic-and-Medicinal-Fungi
Edible, Toxic and Medicinal Fungi
Discovering useful mushrooms, dangerous species and miraculous moulds in biology.
Lesson duration is: 45 minItems in this lesson
Edible, Toxic and Medicinal Fungi
Discovering useful mushrooms, dangerous species and miraculous moulds in biology.
Friend or Foe?
How can a single kingdom of life provide delicious food, life-saving medicine, and deadly poisons?
Recap: Spore Dispersal
How Fungi Spread
Fungi reproduce via spores, using clever methods to release them:
Wind & Pressure
Puffballs burst on contact, ejecting spores into air currents.
Animal Vectors
Stinkhorns use smelly slime to attract insects that transport spores.
Spore Dispersal Quiz
How do fungi usually spread their spores?
1.
They float on river water during winter floods.
2.
They drop spores downwards into wind currents.
3.
They shoot spores out using water pressure explosive caps.
4.
They rely on burrowing rabbits to eat them.
Spore Dispersal Quiz
How do fungi usually spread their spores?
1.
They float on river water during winter floods.
2.
They drop spores downwards into wind currents.
3.
They shoot spores out using water pressure explosive caps.
4.
They rely on burrowing rabbits to eat them.
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✓
Delicious and Edible Fungi
Fungi on Our Plates
Many fungi are completely safe and nutritious to eat. Humans have gathered wild mushrooms for thousands of years.
Button & Chestnut: The most common mushrooms sold in British supermarkets.
Chanterelles: Golden, funnel-shaped wild mushrooms with a peppery taste.
Porcini: Highly prized for their rich, savoury flavor in cooking.
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Fun fact
Mushrooms produce their own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, just like human skin!
The Danger of Toxic Species
Deadly Lookalikes
Wild mushrooms can cause death.
Death Cap (): Causes most poisonings.
Fool Mushroom: Resembles safe species.
Destroying Angel: White, contains lethal toxins.
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Watch out
Only eat wild mushrooms if an expert confirms!
Comparing Edible and Toxic Fungi
Field Mushroom (Edible)
Has pinkish-brown gills underneath the cap, a pleasant earthy scent, and grows in open grassy fields.
Destroying Angel (Toxic)
Has pure white gills, a cup-like sac at the stem base, and grows near tree roots. Extremely poisonous!
Fact or Myth?
Cooking a poisonous mushroom destroys all its toxins and makes it safe to eat.
👍 TRUE
👎 FALSE
🤔 Be ready to explain your thinking.
Fact or Myth?
Cooking a poisonous mushroom destroys all its toxins and makes it safe to eat.
👍 TRUE
👎 FALSE
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Why is that?
Heat does not break down deadly fungal toxins like amatoxins.
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Alexander Fleming's amazing Discovery
The Accidental Miracle
In 1928, Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming returned from holiday to find mould growing on a Petri dish of bacteria.
He noticed a clear ring around the green mould where no bacteria could grow. The mould was producing a substance that killed bacteria.
One sometimes finds what one is not looking for. — Alexander Fleming
How Penicillin Changed Medicine
From Mould to Life-Saving Drug
The mould was identified as Penicillium notatum. Scientists Howard Florey and Ernst Chain later learned how to mass-produce its chemical secret: penicillin.
1. Spore Lands
Penicillium mould spore lands on a bacterial colony.
2. Chemical Released
Mould releases penicillin chemical to protect its space.
3. Bacteria Destroyed
Penicillin breaks bacterial cell walls, killing them.
4. Medicine Created
Purified penicillin cures dangerous human infections.
Yeast: The Microscopic Baker
Single-Celled Fungi
Yeast is a tiny, single-celled fungus vital for food production, unlike capped fungi.
Fermentation in Action
As yeast consumes sugar, it releases carbon dioxide and ethanol. Trapped gas makes dough rise, becoming light.
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Remember
Oven heat evaporates alcohol and sets bread structure.
Fungi in Other Foods
Blue Cheese - Penicillium roqueforti creates the blue veins and sharp flavour in Stilton.
Soy Sauce - Aspergillus oryzae ferments soybeans and wheat over months to create savoury sauce.
Quorn (Mycoprotein) - Fusarium venenatum is grown in vats to produce high-protein meat alternatives.
Fungal Pathogens in Humans
When Fungi Cause Harm
A pathogen is any microorganism that causes disease. Some fungi live on or inside humans, causing uncomfortable infections.
Athlete's Foot: Causes itchy, sore skin between toes in warm, damp conditions.
Thrush: A yeast infection affecting sensitive skin and mucous membranes.
Ringworm: A fungal skin infection that creates a red circular rash.
Fungal Diseases in Plants
Threatening Agriculture
Fungal pathogens infect crops, threatening food supplies worldwide. Historical outbreaks like the Irish Potato Famine were caused by water moulds.
Ash Dieback: A fungus destroying millions of native British ash trees.
Wheat Rust: Powdery orange spores that attack cereal crops and ruin harvests.
Fungal Challenge
A farmer finds a wild mushroom growing near her crops. Should she destroy it immediately or leave it alone? What evidence should she collect first?
Fungal Challenge
You might have said...
Investigate before destroying. Fungi form mycorrhizal networks, aiding root
water and mineral uptake. However, check for rust or blight that could
spread disease. Testing soil and identifying species is the safest strategy.
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Kingdom of Fungi Summary
Key Fungi Lessons
Fungi have vital roles in our lives:
Food: Edible mushrooms and yeast for bread.
Medicine: Penicillin mould treats infections.
Hazards: Toxic species and fungal pathogens.
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Key point
Next: Fungi as decomposers in ecosystems.
