Cleanthes Israilides
National Agricultural Research Foundation, Greece
Title: Development of functional foods with β glucans from medicinal mushrooms
Biography
Biography: Cleanthes Israilides
Abstract
Beta-glucans, especially beta 1,3-linked and beta 1,6-linked -glucans, from eukaryotic organisms particularly medicinal edible mushrooms can be incorporated into various foods creating novel “functional foods†with many health promoting benefits beyond their nutritional value. Medicinal mushrooms have long been valued for their properties as immune system boosters and modulators, as antioxidants, as blood glucose regulators, reducing cholesterol and blood lipids as well as having many more therapeutic and recuperative properties reducing the risk of chronic diseases and promoting general health. The health benefits of mushrooms are attributed to many bioactive compounds among which the most valued and well studied ones are the β-glucans. These can be isolated and incorporated to various foods and food products enhancing their nutritive value and creating novel “functional foodsâ€.