Chemical analysis of king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) fruitbodies

King oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) is a worldwide cultivated mushroom of appreciated nutritional and medicinal quality. Aims of these investigations were to give new comparative data for the better evaluation of P. eryngii. Results of our investigations can be summarized as follows: P. eryngii has higher (crude protein, crude fat) or at least the same concentrations (chitin and total carbohydrate) of organic nutritive components than the common cultivated Pleurotus hybrid (‘HK-35’). Regarding the classical protein fractions: albumins are the highest content in both mushrooms, but the quantity and the proportion in P. eryngii is better than in ‘HK-35’ hybrid. Occurrence and proportion of protein fractions is more valuable in P. eryngii, while the NPN contents of both mushrooms are the same. The investigated soluble oligo- and polysaccharides were present in high amounts in both mushrooms, but the free radical scavenging activity seems to be markedly higher in king oyster mushroom, making it more valuable. Mineral compositions of both species are similarly beneficial, but P. eryngii has basically higher P and lower K levels. More intensive cultivation and use of P. eryngii is clearly recommended