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Re:India could become a 'mushroom superpower' by teruakohatu on Monday June 20, 2022 @11:12AM (#31811309)
This may be a stupid question, but is growing mushrooms in bedrooms safe?

It would make sense to me that mushroom growing medium is perfect for less healthy fungus to grow as well.

Re:India could become a 'mushroom superpower' by AlanYx on Monday June 20, 2022 @11:40AM (#31811631)
The concern isn't contamination of the medium -- you pasteurize the medium and use enough spawn so that your preferred mushroom mycelium outcompetes other fungi and bacteria. This intentionally happens fairly rapidly (because if it doesn't, you're very likely to get some form of bacterial or fungal contamination, which usually means tossing that chunk of medium). Once the mycelium have colonized the medium, it's fairly resistant to contamination in the same way that a healthy sourdough starter is resistant to contamination.

The main health concern is over spore production and inhalation of spores. If you're growing in a household environment you'll want to use a growing chamber with filtered air exchange.

Re:India could become a 'mushroom superpower' by granddemolisher on Monday June 20, 2022 @11:19AM (#31811388)
Depends on the type of mushroom and cultivation method. You need to be careful with a sterilised environment. You need air filtering.
Re:India could become a 'mushroom superpower' by foobiekr on Monday June 20, 2022 @11:20AM (#31811407)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/820538/ is an issue, for example. So is general contamination. This seems like a terrible idea.
Re:India could become a 'mushroom superpower' by WalterGR on Monday June 20, 2022 @11:29AM (#31811522)
Not to say that growing mushrooms at home is risk-free, but that paper is about industrial production.

Emphases mine: [0]

"Several persons concerned with the cultivation and industrial production of this mushroom fell ill, after close contact with it over a period of some months, with exhaustion, headache, chills and fever, and cough."

[0] (no snark intended - just pointing out potential differences from home cultivation)

Re:India could become a 'mushroom superpower' by foobiekr on Monday June 20, 2022 @03:54PM (#31814952)
yeah, but no one is tracking home growers. the issue is spore germination in lungs or allergic hypersensitivity which will be due to exposure.

I used to grow mushrooms at home, and worse, oyster mushrooms, and developed a persistent cough even for my relative low volume. it cleared up when I got rid of them, but you know, the area was just covered, covered in spores.

Re:India could become a 'mushroom superpower' by matthewcford on Monday June 20, 2022 @11:22AM (#31811430)
usually unsafe, as they drop a lot of spores
Re:India could become a 'mushroom superpower' by malikNF on Monday June 20, 2022 @11:52AM (#31811803)
Would a good Air purifier help?