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There are about 40 species in the Pleurotus genus, including those with high economic significance, i.e. P. ostreatus and P. pulmonarius. The fruiting bodies of oyster mushrooms are of high nutritional and healthpromoting value. In addition, many species belonging to the Pleurotus genus have been used as sources of substances with documented medicinal properties, such as high-molecular weight bioactive compounds (polysaccharides, peptides and proteins) and low-molecular weight compounds (terpenoids, fatty acid esters and polyphenols). The bioactive substances contained in the mycelium and fruiting bodies of Pleurotus species exhibit immunostimulatory, anti-neoplastic, anti-diabetic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-oxidative properties. Their multidirectional positive influence on the human organism is the result of interaction of bioactive substances. Extracts from individual Pleurotus species can be used for the production of dietary supplements increasing the organism's immunity. They are also used for the production of cosmetics. They can be added to functional foods as probiotics, or used as natural preservatives or ingredients of special foodstuffs for patients with specific diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White rot fungi (WRF) are known to have the ability to degrade organic pollutants with a structure similar to lignin. Because of this, the degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners no. 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180 by substrate before fruiting (substrate) and/or after fruiting (SMS) from cultivated mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus, Lentinula edodes and Agaricus bisporus was examined. The experiment was carried out in four replications for each treatment using a mixture of substrate/SMS and sandy soil with PCBs at a concentration of each congener at 50 and 100 μg kg−1 soil DW. The results indicate that degradation was dependent on substrate/SMS addition, the concentration of PCBs and time of incubation. The efficiency of PCB degradation was generally reduced with the number of chlorine atoms in the structure of congeners: 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 or 180. In all combinations, degradation increased with incubation time. Degradation by SMS was lower in comparison to degradation by a substrate of the same mushroom. The degree of degradation of a single PCB after 12 weeks of incubation for A. bisporus ranged from 31.32 ± 1.52 to 83.91 ± 1.07%, while for P. ostreatus it was between 37.88 ± 2.54 and 78.29 ± 1.41%; for L. edodes it ranged from 17.38 ± 1.06 to 75.30 ± 1.46%. The best average degradation was confirmed for 20% SMS of A. bisporus at 50 μg kg−1 PCB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Content of 37 elements in mushrooms cultivated in 2009–2017 in Poland is reported. • Increased content of As in A. bisporus, P. ostreatus and L. edodes raise concerns. • No significant increase of other trace elements in fruit bodies was recorded. • bisporus is a valuable source of K, P, Cu, Fe and Se. • bisporus contain a beneficial Na:K ratio (1:76). Agaricus bisporus , Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinula edodes are the most commercially important mushroom species cultivated for human consumption. This study compared the content of major elements (ME) and trace elements (TE) in fruiting bodies of these three mushrooms available on the Polish market between 2009 and 2017. It demonstrates that the studied mushrooms, particularly A. bisporus , can be a valuable source of macro- and micro-nutrients such as K, P, Cu, Fe and Se (means: 28,500; 6150; 14.3; 49.3 and 2.59 mg kg dry weoght, respectively) and contain a beneficial Na/K ratio (1:76). The mushrooms were not found to contain increased levels of toxic metals with the ominous exception of As, levels of which were found to be elevated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]