308
consider them as a health food or a medicine of life. Many researchers have studied
and documented that mushrooms are the reservoir of variety of nutraceuticals, nutriceuticals and bioactive compounds. During the last few decades, consumption and
cultivation of mushrooms increased continuously as nutritional resource.
Internationally, China is the biggest producer of mushrooms, whereas Agaricus
bisporus is highly cultivated mushroom species followed by Pleurotus spp., and
Flammulina velutipes (Valverde et al. 2015). Mushrooms are important inclusions
for human diet as they contain significant amount of proximate constituents, prominent amount of minerals, proteins, vitamins and low fat contents along with several
medicinally important active components (Kalač 2013; Isabel CFR Ferreira and
Heleno 2017; Beelman et al. 2019). Different species of mushrooms are recognized
to possess different medicinal properties like anti-tumor, neuroprotective, anti-oxidant, anti- hypoglycemic, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, immunomodulatory, antiinflammatory, anti-viral, anti-atherosclerotic properties, etc. (Wani et al. 2010;
Thatoi and Singdevsachan 2014; Kim et al. 2008; Khatun et al. 2012; Gaglarirmak
2011; Elkhateeb et al. 2019; Cohen et al. 2014). The chapter presents an overview
of the research on the nutraceutical, mineral, proximate constituents and bioactive
component from beneficial mushrooms.
17.2 Proximate Analysis and Mineral Composition
The proximate composition including moisture content, crude fat content, ash content, carbohydrate content, total sugar content and energy value are given in
Table 17.1. Many reports have been documented the proximate composition of
edible and wild mushrooms. The water content of mushroom varies greatly, as their
fruiting body get influenced by the type of species, growth and climatic condition,
collection strategy and storage measures. The moisture content of mushrooms have
been recorded from a range of 2.71 to 93.25 g/100 g dry weight. The lowest and
highest moisture content has been recorded in Astraeus hygrometricus and Pholita
microsporeo, respectively (Meng et al. 2019; Pavithra et al. 2018). Few species such
as Agaricus albertii, Termitomyces clypeatus, Russula delica, Hygrophorus chrysodon and Suillus variegates have also showed high moisture content. The ash content
generally estimates the mineral content and the value usually varies between 2.80
and 33.10 g/100 g dry weight for different mushrooms. The lowest and highest ash
content has been assessed in Ganoderma lucidum and Lycoperdon umbrinum
(Pereira et al. 2012; Stajic et al. 2013). While, the content of crude fat ranges
between 0.18 and 17.52 g/100 g dry weight in Bovista aestivalis and Amanita princeps (Pereira et al. 2012; Srikram and Supapvanich 2017).
Carbohydrates are the major composition of mushrooms; they are basically
present in the form of glycoproteins or polysaccharides. The highest and lowest
carbohydrate content has been detected in Boletus edulis (81.00 g/100 g dry
weight) and Lepista inversa (10.35 g/100 g dry weight), while some heterogeneity
S. Painuli et al.
consider them as a health food or a medicine of life. Many researchers have studied
and documented that mushrooms are the reservoir of variety of nutraceuticals, nutriceuticals and bioactive compounds. During the last few decades, consumption and
cultivation of mushrooms increased continuously as nutritional resource.
Internationally, China is the biggest producer of mushrooms, whereas Agaricus
bisporus is highly cultivated mushroom species followed by Pleurotus spp., and
Flammulina velutipes (Valverde et al. 2015). Mushrooms are important inclusions
for human diet as they contain significant amount of proximate constituents, prominent amount of minerals, proteins, vitamins and low fat contents along with several
medicinally important active components (Kalač 2013; Isabel CFR Ferreira and
Heleno 2017; Beelman et al. 2019). Different species of mushrooms are recognized
to possess different medicinal properties like anti-tumor, neuroprotective, anti-oxidant, anti- hypoglycemic, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, immunomodulatory, antiinflammatory, anti-viral, anti-atherosclerotic properties, etc. (Wani et al. 2010;
Thatoi and Singdevsachan 2014; Kim et al. 2008; Khatun et al. 2012; Gaglarirmak
2011; Elkhateeb et al. 2019; Cohen et al. 2014). The chapter presents an overview
of the research on the nutraceutical, mineral, proximate constituents and bioactive
component from beneficial mushrooms.
17.2 Proximate Analysis and Mineral Composition
The proximate composition including moisture content, crude fat content, ash content, carbohydrate content, total sugar content and energy value are given in
Table 17.1. Many reports have been documented the proximate composition of
edible and wild mushrooms. The water content of mushroom varies greatly, as their
fruiting body get influenced by the type of species, growth and climatic condition,
collection strategy and storage measures. The moisture content of mushrooms have
been recorded from a range of 2.71 to 93.25 g/100 g dry weight. The lowest and
highest moisture content has been recorded in Astraeus hygrometricus and Pholita
microsporeo, respectively (Meng et al. 2019; Pavithra et al. 2018). Few species such
as Agaricus albertii, Termitomyces clypeatus, Russula delica, Hygrophorus chrysodon and Suillus variegates have also showed high moisture content. The ash content
generally estimates the mineral content and the value usually varies between 2.80
and 33.10 g/100 g dry weight for different mushrooms. The lowest and highest ash
content has been assessed in Ganoderma lucidum and Lycoperdon umbrinum
(Pereira et al. 2012; Stajic et al. 2013). While, the content of crude fat ranges
between 0.18 and 17.52 g/100 g dry weight in Bovista aestivalis and Amanita princeps (Pereira et al. 2012; Srikram and Supapvanich 2017).
Carbohydrates are the major composition of mushrooms; they are basically
present in the form of glycoproteins or polysaccharides. The highest and lowest
carbohydrate content has been detected in Boletus edulis (81.00 g/100 g dry
weight) and Lepista inversa (10.35 g/100 g dry weight), while some heterogeneity
S. Painuli et al.