CHENNAI: Oyster mushrooms have the “superpower” to reduce anxiety and lift one’s mood, gushes Adam Shamsudeen, 28, of Koratty in Thrissur district. He calls them the “fun guys”. Along with his father, Shamsudeen, and wife, Raeesa, Adam has been cultivating oyster mushrooms, which are believed to be mini-packs of antioxidants and nutrients. Having launched the green startup named 'Grow The Fun Guy' a year ago, Adam is gung-ho about popularising the superpower mushrooms among today’s health-conscious Malayalis. The idea, he says, is to encourage people to grow mushrooms at their homes. Adam’s easy-to-grow organic oyster mushroom kits can be harvested within 10 days. All they need is some intermittent spraying of water.
A software engineer by profession, Adam says he launched 'Grow The Fun Guy' after thorough research on mushrooms for two years. Mushrooms, he says, often generate curiosity, especially some variants with unique textures and colours. “One should be careful while picking mushrooms for consumption,” he adds. “Oyster mushrooms, in general, are adorable and loaded with antioxidants and nutrients. So I thought of educating the public on the benefits of different medicinal and gourmet mushrooms.”
'Grow The Fun Guy' recently received preliminary approval under the Centre’s Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation scheme), which funds startups under the innovation and agri-entrepreneurship categories.
Adam says he is health conscious and keeps a tab on his sugar and fat intake. “I mostly choose to eat protein- and fibre-rich foods. That’s how I started studying mushrooms, especially the oyster variety. I realised many people were unaware of the benefits of toxin-free organic mushrooms,” he adds.
Adam came up with the ‘mushroom kit’ concept after noting the unavailability of exotic mushrooms in the market and the limitation of growing one’s own food in urban spaces. The kit includes white and pink varieties of oyster mushrooms that can be easily cultivated by people aged 3 to 90 years.
“We assure three harvests from the kit. It was we who first introduced the exotic pink variety of oyster mushrooms in Kerala. They are rich in fibre and protein,” he claims.
Oyster mushrooms, Adam notes, are emerging as a key element in vegan diets. “We are planning to introduce other varieties such as lion mane, which is believed to aid the nervous system and the turkey tail mushroom, which has antiviral and anti-microbial properties. Studies are on to assess their ability to fight cancer cells. Some edible mushrooms are good for gut health, too.”
Highlighting that mushrooms are used in traditional Chinese medicines, Adam says they can be cooked and used in salads or consumed as side dishes. Noting today’s shrinking urban living spaces, he adds that the 'Grow The Fun Guy' kits can be placed in the drawing room or even on one’s office table.
“These kits are biodegradable,” says Adam. “After harvests, the pellets in which the mushrooms grow can be used as fertiliser for the other plants. They are made using sawdust and can be crumbled using hands. Mushrooms are basically fungi, so they can be used for composting manure, too.” The kits have been travelling across India. “Some of the enquiries were from parents and teachers, who wanted to introduce the joy of cultivating one’s own food to children. For us, that means our mission is a success,” he says.
Visit @growthefunguy