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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Booneville, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #249068
Title: Starch concentrations in log-grown shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler)

Author
item Brauer, David
item KIMMONS, TOM - Shirley Community Development Corporation
item PHILLIPS, MARK - Shirley Community Development Corporation
item BRAUER, DIANA - Former ARS Employee

Submitted to: Open Mycology Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/18/2011
Publication Date: 6/9/2011
Citation: Brauer, D.K., Kimmons, T.E., Phillips, M., Brauer, D. 2011. Starch concentrations in log-grown shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler). Open Mycology Journal. 5:1-7.

Interpretive Summary: Shiitake mushrooms have had a reputation as a healthy food, in part from the abundance of complex carbohydrates that promote human health. Growers and marketers are using complex carbohydrate content of shiitake and shiitake-derived products as a promotional tool to health conscious consumers. However, complex carbohydrate content may not represent the health promoting activity of shiitake mushrooms if they contain significant concentrations of starch. Scientists from ARS in Booneville, Arkansas and the Shiitake Mushroom Center in Shirley, Arkansas studied the effects of shiitake strains, mushroom cap development, inoculated tree log species, and time after inoculation on the starch concentrations in log-grown mushrooms. Results indicate that starch is relatively abundant in shiitake mushrooms and the concentrations are influenced by the fungal genetics, and the characteristics of the environment. The results are of interest to shiitake growers, marketer and consumers.

Technical Abstract: Shiitake (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler) mushrooms have a reputation as a healthy food, in part from the abundance of different polysaccharides that may have functional food activities. Polysaccharide content of shiitake and shiitake-derived products are being utilized as a promotional tool to health conscious consumers. However, polysaccharide content may not represent the functional food activity of shiitake mushrooms if they contain significant concentrations of starch. This report summarizes several studies that examined the effects of shiitake strains, mushroom cap development, inoculated tree log species, and length of saprophytic association on the starch concentrations. Starch concentrations in shiitake mushrooms varied between 20 and 100 mg g-1 tissue (dry weight basis). Results indicate that the starch concentrations in shiitake mushrooms are influenced by the fungal genetics, the characteristics of the environment and the interaction between fungal genetics and environment. General trends include: 1) mushrooms harvested at more immature stages of development (during bud break or before veil break) tended to have lower starch concentrations; and 2) the initial harvests of mushrooms from an inoculated log tend to have higher starch concentrations.