Many species of fungi are used in food production: bread, spirits, cheeses. Some of them, like Penicillium and Aspergillus contribute to its decay.
They are also used for the production of medicines, especially antibiotics (96 antibiotics of fungal origin were already known in the mid-20th century), organic compounds (citric acid) and enzymes on an industrial scale.
Edible mushrooms are used for culinary purposes. For centuries, attempts have been made to introduce mushroom cultivation for industrial purposes. This has been successful only in 12 species. The main source of mushrooms is still wild mushrooms.
