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Evaluation of Polish Wild Mushrooms as Beta-Glucan Sources

Summary

This research examined the content of beneficial compounds called beta-glucans in wild Polish mushrooms compared to commercially grown medicinal mushrooms. The study found that many wild mushrooms contain similar or higher amounts of these healthy compounds compared to cultivated medicinal mushrooms. This has important implications for everyday life: • Wild mushrooms could be valuable natural sources of health-promoting compounds • Local wild mushrooms may provide similar health benefits as expensive commercial medicinal mushrooms • The findings could lead to new natural supplements and medicines derived from wild mushrooms • This research helps validate traditional uses of wild mushrooms for health purposes • The study provides scientific support for sustainable foraging of wild mushrooms as functional foods

Background

Beta-glucans are polysaccharides found in cell walls of bacteria, algae, plants, yeasts, and fungi. Mushroom beta-glucans, especially triple-helix 1,3-1,6-β-d-glucans, demonstrate important therapeutic properties including immunomodulatory, anticancer and antioxidant effects. While numerous studies have examined fungal polysaccharides, substantial data about beta-glucan contents in many mushroom species, particularly wild mushrooms, remains limited.

Objective

To evaluate and compare the beta-glucan content in 18 species of wild Polish mushrooms and three commercial mushroom species using two different analytical methods – the Megazyme enzymatic method and the Congo red spectrophotometric method.

Results

Among wild mushrooms, the highest beta-glucan content measured by the Megazyme method was found in Tricholoma portentosum (34.97 g/100g DM), while the Congo red method showed highest levels in Lactarius deliciosus (17.11 g/100g DM) and Suillus grevillei (16.97 g/100g DM). The beta-glucan content in wild mushrooms was comparable or higher than in commercial medicinal mushrooms when measured by both methods. The Megazyme method generally yielded higher values than the Congo red method.

Conclusion

Wild mushrooms demonstrated beta-glucan contents comparable or superior to commercial medicinal mushroom species, indicating their potential as sources for beta-glucan extraction. The study suggests wild mushrooms could be valuable materials for the food industry and medicinal purposes. Further research is needed on the quantitative content, molecular structure, and conformation of glucans in wild mushrooms to determine their broader applications in food production, pharmacology and medicine.
  • Published in:International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Analysis,
  • Source: 10.3390/ijerph17197299
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