abstract
- The authors are grateful to Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and COMPETE/QREN/EU for the financial support of the CIMO strategic project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011 and of the contract of L. Barros. The authors also thank to the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development for financial support (grant number 173032). The authors thank Dr. Maria João Sousa for the harvest of the Portuguese samples.
- The present work outlines a detailed chemical characterization of Suillus granulatus species, besides the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of their methanolic extracts. The study was carried out with samples drawn from Portugal and Serbia in order to prove that though mushrooms are strongly influenced by the environment in which they develop, they have a specific chemical profile that can be typical of their genus/species. The studied species proved to be healthy foods, low in fat and rich in protein and carbohydrates, with mannitol and trehalose being the main free sugars detected. They also proved to be a source of organic and phenolic acids, as well as mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids and tocopherols. The Serbian samples revealed higher antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. Accordingly, we find that the S. granulatus species is likely to be considered a functional food, since it is a source of nutraceutical and biologically active compounds.