Introduction

[Excerpt] This book (1) considers fungi isolated from food and (2) indicates the involvement of these fungi in human diseases. It is quite surprising how many fungi fit both categories, and there are obvious connections in some cases. Methods for identifying the fungi are also covered particularly by PCR. Some of the chapters are general and introductory in nature—more so than in some previous books in the series. For example, there are introductions to systems biology, metabolomics, and phylogenetics: advances in the understanding of fungal population genetics and fungal evolution have increased beyond recognition from that possible even 30 years ago [1]. [...]