This book presents topical research from across the globe in the study of the types, properties and nutrition of mushrooms. Topics discussed include edible mushroom role in weight regulation; disease control in the mushroom industry; sustainable use of microbial endophytes; hemolytic lectins of higher mushrooms; radioactivity of European wild growing edible mushrooms; co-cultivation of pleurotus species with yeasts; biologically active mushroom proteins and activation and stabilisation of mushroom tyrosinase by addition of polyethylene glycols.