Humans collect several species of
Russula for food. There is a cultural divide toward interpretation of
Russula edibility. In general, North American field guides tend to list mostly non-edible species and advise caution when consuming any member of the genus. In contrast, European field guides have a more favorable opinion and list more edible species. In Madagascar, species collected from introduced eucalypt forests include
Russula madecassense,
Russula prolifica, and several other species of minor importance, including some that have not yet been officially described.
Russula is the most commonly consumed and economically important mushroom genus in
Madagascar, particularly
Russula prolifica and
Russula edulis. This and other edible Russula are typically stripped of their cap cuticle before selling to make them more similar in appearance to the
Agaricus bisporus.
Russula cyanoxantha is a popular edible throughout Asia, Europe, and the Pacific. In Finland, commonly eaten species include (but are not limited to)
Russula vinosa,
Russula vesca, Russula paludosa, Russula decolorans, Russula xerampelina and
Russula claroflava. In Thailand, russulas collected by locals and sold in roadsides and local markets include
Russula alboareolata,
Russula lepida,
Russula nigricans,
Russula virescens, and
Russula xerampelina. Edible russulas in
Nepal include
Russula flavida and
Russula chlorides. The tropical Chinese species
Russula griseocarnosa, misidentified as the European
R. vinosa until 2009, is commercially collected as food and medicine. ==Natural products==