Urban mushroom farming for future foods: safety considerations and nutritional benefits

With the growing global population and rapid urbanization, urban agriculture has gained increasing attention as a sustainable pathway to achieving food security. This review discusses recent advances in urban mushroom farming, its integration with computer-based technologies, safety considerations, and the potential of mushrooms and mycelium-based foods as future foods. Urban mushroom farming systems include indoor/vertical farms, container/modular units, and rooftop/community-based setups. Technologies such as the Internet of Things, machine learning, and artificial intelligence can be incorporated to improve monitoring, control, and overall efficiency in urban mushroom farms. Mushrooms and mycelium-based products, including fruiting bodies, mycelial biomass, mycelium-fermented foods, hybrid or 3D-printed products, and mushroom extracts or functional ingredients, can be produced within urban environments while utilizing various food waste and agro-industrial residues as cultivation media. These products are rich sources of protein, essential amino acids, dietary fibre, antioxidants, ergosterols, and several essential minerals. Key safety considerations for mushrooms and mycelium-based foods in urban production systems, including biological hazards, mycotoxins, heavy metal accumulation, and potential allergenicity, are also discussed. Although mushrooms have a long history of consumption, macrofungal mycelium-based foods may be regarded as novel foods and evaluated under novel food safety regulations.