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Weekly UpdatesThe Mushrooms and Health Global Initiative is a collaborative project to support public relations efforts to increase the worldwide consumption of mushrooms and mushroom products through the collection, evaluation and dissemination of scientifically validated information.
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Highlights from the Initiative's May Bulletin include an article describing the benefits of having a skilled, professional media/public relations team prepared to leverage research findings on mushrooms and health. Greg Seymour, president, International Society for Mushroom Science (ISMS), general manager Australian Mushroom Growers Association (AMGA), and manager, Mushrooms and Health Global Initiative said, "If we want consumers to eat more mushrooms, then we need to give consumers good reasons to do so, and we need to remind them of those reasons time and time again. ... If we want the messages repeated regularly, then we need to take advantage of every chance that comes our way to do it. ... If an industry possesses a public relations machine, then the chances of getting stories into the media increase significantly, as does the number of places they appear."
As an example of leveraging nutrition research, Heidi Gengler from Edelman, the Mushroom Council's public relations firm, described media efforts around mushroom research at the April 2009 Experimental Biology meeting. Although it is common to learn about mushroom research at mushroom industry conferences, it is important to have mushroom research presented at meetings of other scientific disciplines. Experimental Biology is a multi-society scientific meeting featuring award lectures, symposia and poster sessions, and is attended by over 13,000 scientists.
Research abstracts presented by Solo Kuvibidila, Ph.D., Oklahoma State University, and Keith Martin, Ph.D., Arizona State University, described mushrooms' role in enhancing immune function, protecting against breast cancer and collagen-induced arthritis. The Mushroom Council distributed a media alert to health and nutrition editors with summaries of the research abstracts. Dr. Martin's mushroom immunity research, The Effects of Whole Mushrooms During Inflammation (BioMed Central Immunology 2009), noted that White button mushrooms have stronger immune-boosting effects than most exotic mushrooms. The research was featured in a syndicated Reuters article online that generated more than 6.5 million impressions. The article is available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2172-10-12.pdf
Another Bulletin article described AMGA's efforts to position mushrooms as a separate food group. Written by Glenn Cardwell, Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Nutrition Impact P/L, Australia, the article states: "As the mushroom is not a plant food, it is no surprise that it has a nutrition profile different to that found in fruits and vegetables. Having mushrooms recognized as a separate food group is strategically important to the Australian mushroom industry. Official public confirmation sends a message that mushrooms should be a regular inclusion in a balanced healthy diet. It will help move mushrooms from being a discretionary purchase to an essential one."
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Bulletins are posted on the Web site of the International Society for Mushroom Science (ISMS) http://www.isms.biz/
If you want to be added to the electronic distribution list for the Bulletin, send your name and e-mail to: info@mushroomsandhealth.com.
www.biomedcentral.com/content/paf/1471-2172-10-12.pdf
Mary Jo Feeney MS, RD, FADA
Consultant to the Mushroom Council
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