Chemical characterization and bioactivity of the most widely appreciated cultivated mushrooms: studies in fruiting bodies and mycelia
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abstract
FCT and COMPETE/QREN/EU for project PTDC/AGR-ALI/110062/2009, strategic project to
CIMO (PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011) and BPD/4609/2008 grant to L. Barros.
More than 3000 mushrooms are said to be “prime edible species”, of which only 100 are
cultivated commercially, and only ten of those on an industrial scale. The most cultivated
mushroom worldwide is Agaricus bisporus followed, among others, by Lentinula edodes and
Pleurotus spp. [1]. The present work reports and compares the nutritional value, bioactive
compounds and antioxidant properties of highly consumed fresh cultivated species: Agaricus
bisporus (White and Brown mushrooms), Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster mushroom), Pleurotus
eryngii (King oyster mushroom) and Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) [2,3]. Nutritional value was
accessed through the composition in macronutrients determined following standard procedures;
individual profiles in sugars and fatty acids were obtained by HPLC-RI and GC-FID,
respectively. Micronutrients such as tocopherols were analysed by HPLC-fluorescence.
Moreover, both fruiting bodies and mycelia produced in vitro were submitted to antioxidant
potential evaluation (free radicals scavenging activity, reducing power and lipid peroxidation
inhibition in cell homogenates) and phenolic compounds characterization by HPLC-DAD/MS.
Shiitake revealed the highest levels of macronutrients, unless proteins, as also the highest sugars,
tocopherols and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) levels, and the lowest saturated fatty acids
(SFA) content. The highest antioxidant potential was shown by Agaricus bisporus (brown).
Regarding the mycelia, Lentinula edodes was the species with highest antioxidant properties.
Comparing mushrooms with the corresponding mycelium, in general, the species in vivo
revealed highest antioxidant activity than the in vitro samples. This study contributes to the
elaboration of nutritional databases of the most consumed mushroom species worldwide,
allowing comparison between them and their mycelia obtained in vitro, which can be used for
the biotechnological production of compounds with biological interest.
Mushrooms are part of the human diet for thousands of years, and their consumption increased greatly in recent times. One of the main reasons for this increase is the combination of their nutritional value as well as for their medicinal and nutraceutical properties. The present work reports a comparative study of highly consumed fresh cultivated mushroom species worldwide: Agaricus bisporus (white and brown), Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom), Pleurotus eryngii (king oyster mushroom) and Lentinula edodes (shiitake). It was assessed the nutritional value and chemical composition of the mushrooms, and their mycelia were produced by in vitro culture to make a comparative analysis of the antioxidant activity and phenolic profile of fruiting bodies and the corresponding mycelium. L. edodes (shiitake) revealed the highest levels of macronutrients, unless proteins, as also the highest sugars, tocopherols and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) levels, and the lowest saturated fatty acids (SFA) content. Although phenolic compounds and derivatives investigated have been found in both fruiting bodies and mycelia, generally the species in vivo showed a higher antioxidant potential than the mycelium obtained by in vitro culture.
