ABSTRACT
Minerals are inorganic chemicals that are essential for our proper growth and development. Deficiency of the micronutrient is a form of undernutrition that occurs when intake or absorption of the elements is too low to sustain normal physical and mental function. The situation can be ameliorated by adding mushrooms to the diet that are packed with a range of bioaccessible minerals and thus have immense food value. Studies suggest that they are rich sources of potassium while other major elements are present, generally in the order of phosphorus> magnesium> calcium> sodium, which is considered nutritionally advantageous. Among the trace elements, iron is present in high concentrations in edible macrofungi followed by zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. Besides, macromycetes can uptake heavy metals as well; thus, proper knowledge of habitat is required during the collection of wild samples. Nevertheless, such an absorptive property can be used to elevate the level of micronutrients in cultivated mushrooms to produce fortified food. Indeed, amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for nutrient-enriched diets is in steep escalation as several minerals (Fe, Zn, Mg, Cu, Se) have been suggested to play a key role in immunity and antioxidant activity. Thus, exploitation of macrofungi-derived minerals is the need of the hour, as highlighted in the present review, to address micronutrient deficiencies and maintain a healthy life.
