Molecular Identification of Mushroom Species in Italy: An Ongoing Project Aimed at Reinforcing the Control Measures of an Increasingly Appreciated Sustainable Food

Alice Giusti, Enrica Ricci, Laura Gasperetti, Marta Galgani, Luca Polidori, Francesco Verdigi, Roberto Narducci and Andrea Armani
Additional contact information
Alice Giusti: FishLab, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Enrica Ricci: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lazio and Tuscany M. Aleandri, UOT Toscana Nord, SS Abetone e Brennero 4, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Laura Gasperetti: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lazio and Tuscany M. Aleandri, UOT Toscana Nord, SS Abetone e Brennero 4, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Marta Galgani: FishLab, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Luca Polidori: Tuscany Mycological Groups Association, via Turi, 8 Santa Croce sull’Arno, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Francesco Verdigi: North West Tuscany LHA (Mycological Inspectorate), via A. Cocchi, 7/9, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Roberto Narducci: Tuscany Mycological Groups Association, via Turi, 8 Santa Croce sull’Arno, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Andrea Armani: FishLab, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Proper investment in mushroom production (farming and wild mushroom picking activities) may represent a winning strategy for many countries, including Italy, to better face the problems of food security and environmental impact, and to break away from imports, enhancing the local products. However, the risk related to the consumption of poisoning species requires governments to implement or reinforce effective control measures to protect consumers. Mushroom identification by phenotype observation is hardly applicable if morphologically-similar species, non-whole specimens, or clinical samples are involved. Genotypic analysis is a valid alternative. An ongoing research project involving the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lazio and Tuscany, the regional Mycological Inspectorate, the Tuscany Mycological Groups Association, and the Department of Veterinary Sciences of the University of Pisa aims to reinforce the collaboration among institutions for the management of mushroom poisoning. The core’s project aims to develop an internal genetic database to support the identification of wild and cultivated mushroom species in the Italian territory. The database will include Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequences retrieved from official databases (the NCBI GenBank and the BOLD system) which are considered to be reliable, after a proper selection process, and sequences from specimens collected directly and identified by expert mycologists. Once it is validated, the database will be available and further implementable by the official network of national laboratories.

Keywords: mushroom; sustainable food; public health; environment safeguarding; consumers protection; official control; molecular identification; Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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