New and distinct varieties of higher Basidiomycetes mushrooms selected from Coprinus comatus HAI-1237 and Tremella mesenterica HAI-17 deposited under The Budapest Treaty with the Centralbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS) under Accession Nos. CBS 123401 and. CBS 123296, respectively, biomass and extracts thereof and isolated constituents such as b-glucans, fucogalactans and glucuronoxylomannans are disclosed, and their use as natural food supplements, nutraceuticals, prebiotics, beverage products, cosmetics, pet food, and agricultural insecticidal and anti-plant virus compositions
