Abstract: Tribals and forest dwellers in Odisha are bestowed with various kinds of non-timber forest products (NTFP). Most of these NTFPs include medicinal and dietary need-based forest products. Wild edible mushrooms are a group of such products which have culinary, therapeutic, and commercial values but are underrated. Forests of Western Odisha are mostly dry deciduous and moist deciduous in nature best suitable environment for the availability of fungi, general and macro fungi in particular. Identification and biochemical properties of wild mushrooms of western Odisha are not properly estimated, leading to casualties in some or different parts of this area. Sometimes, the cooking ingredients also make a difference in the toxicity level. Therefore, this attempt has been made to estimate pH, which is an indicator of food quality under different cooking conditions in 13 wild mushrooms found in western Odisha, which are either consumed or sold in markets. Results show that raw mushrooms cooked for a longer time reduce pH and make the dish acidic, but the addition of spices and condiments increases the pH and makes the food healthier by making it neutral or less acidic.

Keywords: Macro fungi, mushroom, western Odisha, tribal food, Toxicity.

Downloads: | DOI: 10.17148/IARJSET.2025.12843