A screening study of elemental composition in 12 marketable mushroom species accessible in Poland.

Cultivated mushroom species are becoming an increasingly consumed commodity owing to their nutritional value and potential biological activities. There is a strict necessity to conduct a thorough screening of their chemical composition to ensure the quality and safety of final food products. The present study analyzed the content of 67 macro- and microelements and detected 36 of them (macroelements: Ca, K, Mg, Na, P; micronutrients: Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn; toxic metals: Ag, Al, Cd, Ni and Pb; metalloids: As, B, Ge, Te; platinum group elements (PGEs): Os, Pt, Rh; rare earth elements (REES): Gd, Ho, La, Nd, Pr; other elements: Ba, Bi, Ga, In, Sr, Ti, U, V, Zr) in 12 mushroom species ( Agrocybe cylindracea, Auricularia polytricha, Clitocybe maxima, Coprinus comatus, Flammulina velutipes, Grifola frondosa, Hericium erinaceus, Laetiporus sulphureus, Pholiota nameko, Stropharia rugosoannulata, Trametes versicolor, Tremella fuciformis) obtained between 2008 and 2016 from the Polish market but originating from both Poland (small scale local production) and China (available in selected oriental or internet shops only). Elemental composition was highly species-specific and did not follow a taxonomical pattern on the family level. As revealed, G. frondosa contained high concentrations of minerals (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, P and Zn). Most of the studied mushrooms were characterized by a relatively high level of PGEs. Serious food contaminants such as Al, As, Cd and Pb were within safety limits set by the FAO/WHO. Additionally, the study presented Andrews curves as a convenient tool to analyze trends on multidimensional data on chemical composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]