Functional mushrooms: what the term means

The term “functional mushrooms” is everywhere: on packaging, in cafés, on social media. Here is what it refers to, where it comes from, what research knows and does not yet know, and what Swiss law allows us to say about it.

Where the term comes from

The idea of “functional food” was born in Japan in the 1980s. In 1991, Japan created a dedicated regulatory category, FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses). The idea then spread worldwide, with legal frameworks that differ widely from one country to another.

Applied to mushrooms, the term mainly refers to species such as hericium (lion's mane), reishi, cordyceps or shiitake, some of whose compounds are researched beyond their culinary interest. You will also come across other names that imply a therapeutic use: we do not use them, because in Switzerland these mushrooms are foods.

What they contain

Some species contain compounds studied in the laboratory:

  • Beta-glucans: polysaccharides found in the cell walls of all mushrooms, with a structure specific to each species.
  • Hericenones and erinacines: characteristic of hericium; the former are found in the mushroom, the latter mainly in the mycelium.
  • Triterpenes: abundant in reishi, they are what makes it bitter.
  • Cordycepin: found in particular in Cordyceps militaris.

What research knows, and what it does not

These compounds are the subject of many scientific publications. Most of the work is done on cell cultures or animals; human trials remain few and often small. Results also depend on the species, the strain, the part used (mushroom or mycelium) and the preparation (powder, water or alcohol extract).

On current knowledge, this work does not allow a health effect to be attributed to a mushroom sold as food. That is also what the law says.

What Swiss law says

In Switzerland, mushrooms are foods. The Foodstuffs and Utility Articles Ordinance (FUAO, art. 12) prohibits attributing to a food the property of preventing, treating or curing a disease, or suggesting it, and prohibits presenting it as a therapeutic product. Only the health claims on the Confederation's official list are permitted, under the conditions it sets.

The word “suggesting” matters: invoking tradition, citing studies or reporting testimonials to imply an effect is also prohibited.

Our approach

At Mycotopia, we will not attribute any health effect to our mushrooms, neither directly nor through testimonials, references to tradition or lists of studies. We will state what we can verify: the species, the strain, the part of the mushroom used, how it was grown and dried, and where the substrate comes from.

The hericium, reishi and cordyceps we will grow will be offered for what they are: foods. Fresh hericium is pan fried, like white meat; reishi, very bitter, suits broths and infusions; cordyceps powder can be added to soups and slow cooked dishes.

Discover our functional mushrooms

Our mushroom recipes