Wild Edible Fungi in the Catalan Linguistic Area: A Scoping Review Linking Nutritional Value to Ethnomycology

The Catalan Linguistic Area (CLA) is a mycophile region where interest in the nutritional properties of traditional edible fungi is steadily growing, driven by their gastronomic appeal. The present study undertakes a scoping review with two main objectives. First, to compile a list of edible fungi taxa identified in the CLA, and second, to determine whether their nutritional values have already been published. Data were collected through books from different library catalogues and archives, expert consultations, a specialized database, and a search in three academic databases: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. As a result, we obtained a list of 643 culinary fungi taxa, of which 35.46% have reported nutritional values. Moreover, among the most cited CLA culinary fungi, Hygrophorus latitabundus Britzelm. and Hypomyces lateritius (Fr.) Tul. & C. Tul. have no nutritional values reported in the literature. Additionally, an ethnomycoticity index (EMI) and ethnomyconymic diversity index are proposed as adaptations to ethnomycology of two commonly used ethnobotanical indices. To conclude, wild edible fungi (WEF) are widely used in the CLA, but nutritional values for the majority of macromycetes are still lacking. Further studies need to be carried out regarding ethnomycology, enhancing their nutritional values, since data recorded are disperse and difficult to standardise.