Mushrooms as a Nutritional Food Supplement for Rural Communities in the State of Mexico Case of Ixtlahuaca de Rayón

Abstract

The aim of this work is to demonstrate the properties of wild mushrooms and the various conservation techniques that exist for their implementation as a nutritional supplement in rural communities. It observed that mushroom consumption –a term used synonymously– has been declining in recent years, especially among young people. The study was conducted in Ixtlahuaca de Rayón, State of Mexico, a town inhabited primarily by the Mazahua Indigenous group, whose diet is based primarily on cultivated and wild fruits and vegetables, depending on the season, as is the case with mushrooms obtained from the surrounding forests. Methodologically, the approach considered is quantitative, with a descriptive scope, and as techniques, application of a sensory test of dishes made with mushrooms, accompanied by a survey of 150 mothers and some male heads of household, responsible for the collection and preparation of these living organisms. Among the main results, it reported nutritional benefits and various preparation methods and dishes that can be made based on them, such as the “chipotle mushroom tinga”, are particularly noteworthy. Different preservation techniques are also available to extend the best-before date and shelf life of the mushrooms, thus contributing to the strengthening of the local and family economy.