Display: An installation of ceramic mushrooms in the soil, with styrofoam debris covered underneath. Projecting pictures of a variety of lands and real mushrooms. Installation requires a display stage, spotlight and projector.
Choice of Medium: Simple-looking mushrooms come in ceramic, visually suggesting viewers to think twice about this simple and common food. With all the functions that a mushroom can have as I presented, while with visible styrofoam pieces inserted in soil representing the soil pollution. Is mushroom really something that’s safe as we thought it would be?
Concept: Bring up this not-commonly-mentioned concern regarding the safety of consuming mushrooms, for an open-ended discussion. FDA has not reported a case that one gets poisoned instantly by mushroom that’s grown in polluted soil. And it’s the fact that people can intake a certain amount of heavy metals or toxins as they accumulate in the body without causing visible symptoms. However, it is always a good idea to avoid it from happening based on the possibilities of my research of mushrooms.
Idea: Over the recent years, we’ve seen increased awareness surrounding the contamination of heavy metals in the world’s food supply. As human dump more and more toxic chemicals into the environment and the likelihood of those toxins ending up in our soils, into our food supply, and reaching the cells of our body increases every year. Mushrooms with the functions known to be picking up the oil spill, nuclear radiation, heavy metals and toxins that do not decompose by itself. Is it really a safe choice for food? In fact, for a long time, there’s been considerable concern over all food products that originate from China due to the high levels of soil contamination, industrial pollution, and toxic waterways in farmland. Today, China is responsible for over 70% of the world’s mushroom production. Associating with the Mycoremediation effect that mushrooms have, how do we know the mushrooms or their bi-products we bought from stores are as simple(clean) as they look like?
Research:
1. Fungus and Human
There are an estimated 1.5 million species of fungi, comprising yeasts and molds along with mushroom-producing macrofungi. They get their energy by consuming other life forms rather than by photosynthesis.
2. Mushroom Medical Function
A. Common Example: Reishi mushrooms.
Via a process called ‘mycorestoration’ mushrooms break down debris, waste, and toxins. Whether in the forest or in the human body, mushrooms serve the function of maintaining balance in their surrounding ecosystem. Mushrooms bridge human and environmental immune systems is grounded in solid biology. Fungi products markets as general immune-system boosters and antioxidants. But mushrooms are known to contain a host of proven disease-fighting chemicals, (including polysaccharides, glycoproteins, ergosterols, and triterpenoids) as well as antimicrobial and antiviral compounds, varyied by species and strain (Paul Stamets, American mycologist, author and advocate of bioremediation and medicinal fungi).
B. Research: Melanin in Jelly Ear (Applicable with other dark mushrooms)
http://schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2013/11/radiation-ahead-eat-a-black-mushroom.html
In the article Compton Scattering by Internal Shields Based on Melanin-Containing Mushrooms Provides Protection of Gastrointestinal Tract from Ionizing Radiation, author fed mice a mushroom used in East Asian cuisine, called Judas’ ear, tree, or jelly ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) an hour before giving them a powerful 9 Gy dose with the beta emitter Cesium137. For perspective, anything over ~0.1 Gy is considered a dangerously high dose for humans. All the control mice died in 13 days while ~90% of the mushroom-fed ones survived. Mice fed a white mushroom (porcini) died almost as fast as the controls, but those fed white mushrooms supplemented with melanin also survived.
“The radioprotective effects of melanin are based on the controlled dissipation of Compton electron energy by melanin, which results in a decreased number of interactions between Compton electrons and cellular milieu and the scavenging of free reactive radicals by melanin.”
3. Paul Stamets, 6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save The World, TED Talk 2011
Plan to redeem the devastated landscape around Fukushima.
“The Nuclear Forest Recovery Zone,” which was predicated on a little-known fact about mushrooms: Many species are able to remove and absorb heavy metals, including radioactive isotopes, from the soil. First, fence off the contaminated area around the reactors. Then chip the wood debris from ruined buildings and trees, and spread it over the area to make substrate. Replant native trees along with mycorrhizal fungi, which will help the trees grow while drawing radioactive material from the soil. Harvest the mushrooms as soon as they form, and dispose of them as nuclear waste. Repeat as necessary for several decades or even centuries until the Geiger counters stop screaming.
4. Jae Rhim Lee, “My Mushroom Burial Suit”, TED Talk 2011
Jae Rhim Lee described how the recently-deceased would be placed in the Mushroom Death Suit, covered with an Alternative Embalming Fluid (a slurry of spores) and some Decompiculture Makeup (dried spores) and buried within 24 hours of death. Thinking about the 200 or more toxins in the human body – both when living and especially after embalming – that eventually end up in the earth.The spores would be activated by the decomposition and begin to dine, thus removing pesticides, heavy metals and other toxins from the body.
Discussion: Food Safety of Mushroom
A. Information from Government
Bryan, Frank L., John J. Guzewich, and Ewen C.D. Todd. 1997. Surveillance of Foodborne Disease III. Summary and Presentation of Data on Vehicles and Contributory Factors; Their Value and Limitation.Journal of Food Protection. Vol. 60, No. 6: 701-714.
B. Information from Mushroom Industry
"Insider Secrets (Part One) - Heavy Metals in Mushrooms"
C. Information from Scholars
MUSHROOMS IN THE REMEDIATION OF HEAVY METALS FROM SOIL
Suggested Solutions:
Since the only way to know for sure is to conduct independent heavy metal testing to verify that the specific mushrooms are safe for consumption. There is no other way around it.
Experts say wild picked mushrooms at farmer’s markets are more likely to be grown in natural or less toxic conditions than the more mainstream ones like crimini (brown), portobello, and white button.
“I strongly advise against eating these or any other types of mushrooms raw, whether they’re wild or cultivated. If you’re going to eat them cook them well, at high temperatures, by sauteeing, broiling, or grilling. Heat breaks down many of the toxic constituents.” Quote Dr. Andrew Weil. MD
Difficulties:
1. How to obtain large pile of polluted soil that contains construction debris etc and was exposed in our daily environment for a while. Problem solved by classmmates suggesting me buying the soil from HomeDepot. Make it visually polluted by inserting styrofoam and display in a smaller scale.
2. Trying to avoid the topic being diverted into natural toxin mushrooms which is more of a commonly known concern. Problem solved by deeper research.
