[Mineral and amino acid contents of edible, cultivated shii-take mushrooms (Lentinus edodes)]

World wide about 200,000 tons of shii-take mushrooms (Lentinus edodes) are produced per year. Different positive biological effects are known (anticarcinogenic, anticholesterol, immunostimulating effects), but the mineral contents and amino acid composition of caps and stipes are still little investigated. The concentrations of minerals are in general lower than those in the cultivated white mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and in the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus). The greatest differences are found in the concentrations of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, copper, strontium, manganese and zinc. The concentrations are higher in caps than in stipes. The total amino acid content is 15.24% in caps and 11.35% in stipes (dry matter) and thus in general half of the concentration of cultivated champignon. The amounts of Phe, Gly, His, Arg, Ile and Met are relative higher than in Agaricus fruit bodies.