Westerdijk Laboratory Manual Series vol. 2, The Food and Indoor Fungi
Westerdijk Laboratory Manual Series vol. 2, The Food and Indoor Fungi
Samson Robert A, Houbraken Jos, Thrane Ulf, Frisvad Jens C, Andersen Birgitte (Eds). 2019. Westerdijk Laboratory Manual Series vol. 2, The Food and Indoor Fungi. 2nd edition 481 pages, 326 colour photos and b/w line drawings, 28 colour tables. $115.00.
This book includes common fungi in indoor environments and on foods. Detailed descriptions are given along with high-quality photographic illustrations of 156 common species in 58 genera. Simple keys are provided based on morphological characters for identification of common fungi. The manual also covers 35 yeast species that are often found on foods and in some cases indoors. The major fungal groups such as ascomycetes, coelomycetes, zygomycetes, and hyphomycetes occurring indoors and on foods are covered in this manual. Mycological techniques are discussed for analysts with different levels of mycological or microbiological background.
This manual is especially useful for analysts who work in the field of indoor air quality (IAQ) and in the food microbiology industry. However, beginner students of mycology will also find this manual useful. The superb photographs of cultural characteristics on different agar media along with micro-photographs of the fungal species next to the detailed descriptions of a given taxon makes the identification of an unknown fungus/mold relatively easy. Beginners as well as experienced analysts who work on fungi/molds will find the keys to species amazingly simple to use. This is perhaps the single most useful, practical, and up-to-date mycological literature to date for analysts. As we all know, mycological literature for different groups is scattered; however, this manual brings these major groups together in a single volume.
The Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute (previously CBS) has provided a number of excellent mycological publications for students of mycology over the decades and this is yet another outstanding example of their contributions. It is a must-have book which should be on the desk of everyone concerned with fungi associated with human affairs all over the world!