Disappearance of tachysterol in white button mushrooms

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston UniversityVitamin D has proven to be an important factor in health through a plethora of studies. Tachysterol is a photoproduct of previtamin D with sun or ultraviolet radiation exposure. While vitamin D is well known for its importance in bone health, the biologic function of tachysterol is unknown. Many vertebrates and fungi can produce vitamin D from a precursor after UV irradiation or sun exposure, including white button mushrooms. This project aims to determine if tachysterol might have a biologic function in white button mushrooms by determining if the disappearance of tachysterol2 was due to some active process in live mushrooms. To provide evidence that tachysterol serves a function, tachysterol2 disappearance in white button mushrooms was monitored after 24 hours. The aim was to create conditions in a white button mushroom, including freezing and microwaving them to determine their effects on tachysterol2 disappearance at 24 hours. The idea was that freezing or microwaving the mushroom would disrupt any metabolic process in the mushroom, providing a clue as to the mechanism of tachysterol2 disappearance. The hypothesis was that freezing and microwaving the white button mushroom would cause a reduction in tachysterol2 disappearance. To evaluate this, 1) white button mushrooms were irradiated with ultraviolet radiation (UVB, 290nm-320nm), 2) an irradiated white button mushroom was frozen, and 3) an irradiated white button mushroom was microwaved. These white button mushrooms were biopsied in triplicate, extracted, and run on high-performance liquid chromatography in order to determine the concentrations of tachysterol2 in the mushrooms. A white button mushroom without UVB irradiation was biopsied in triplicate and extracted to confirm that the store-bought mushrooms did not contain tachysterol2. A tachysterol2 standard was incubated in organic solvent to determine if tachysterol2 was stable. The results showed statistically significant decrease in tachysterol2 for the irradiated mushroom, the frozen irradiated mushroom, the microwaved mushroom 24 hours after irradiation, compared to the standard tachysterol2 in organic solvent. The decrease in tachysterol2 in the microwaved mushroom was 65% in 24 hours, which was not significantly less than in the irradiated mushroom and the frozen irradiated mushroom (p= 0.10 and 0.22, respectively). The decrease in tachysterol2 for the frozen mushroom was 93%, which was not significantly less than the irradiated mushroom (p = 0.21). These findings suggest that microwaving a mushroom at 5mW and 60 seconds and freezing a mushroom does not significantly interfere with metabolic processes that may involve tachysterol2, although microwaving a mushroom trended towards less of a decrease in the tachysterol concentration

Screening and Evaluation of Essential Oils from Mediterranean Aromatic Plants against the Mushroom Cobweb Disease, Cladobotryum mycophilum

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the use of essential oils (EOs) as an alternative to synthetic fungicides used in the control of cobweb disease of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) caused by Cladobotryum mycophilum. The EOs used were obtained by hydrodistillation from five Mediterranean aromatic species (Lavandula × intermedia, Salvia lavandulifolia, Satureja montana, Thymus mastichina, and Thymus vulgaris), analyzed by gas chromatography, and tested in vitro for their antifungal activity against C. mycophilum. In vitro bioassays showed that the EOs obtained from T. vulgaris and S. montana (ED50 = 35.5 and 42.8 mg L−1, respectively) were the most effective EOs for inhibiting the mycelial growth of C. mycophilum, and were also the most selective EOs between C. mycophilum and A. bisporus. The in vivo efficacy of T. vulgaris and S. montana EOs at two different concentrations (0.5 and 1%) were evaluated in two mushroom growing trials with C. mycophilum inoculation. The treatments involving T. vulgaris and S. montana EOs at the higher dose (1% concentration) were as effective as fungicide treatment. The effect of these EOs on mushroom productivity was tested in a mushroom cropping trial without inoculation. They had a strong fungitoxic effect at the first flush. However, a compensatory effect was observed by the end of the crop cycle and no differences were observed in biological efficiency between treatments. The main compounds found were carvacrol and p-cymene for S. montana, and p-cymene and thymol for T. vulgaris. These results suggest that T. vulgaris and S. montana EOs may be useful products to manage cobweb disease if used as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program

Mushroom flavour

Mushrooms and fungi not only present a fascinating world of shapes, both macro- and microscopic, but they are also an interesting source of flavours, fragrances and odours, e.g. garlic, coconut, flour-like, cucumber or fruit-like, as well as the most characteristic for this kingdom of living organisms mushroom-like flavour and aroma. Fungi can possess many different and interesting flavours and fragrances - starting from nice anise-like, fruit-like, cucumber, garlic, to cheese-garlic, and ending with potato or flour-like smells. Some mushrooms emit carbide or distinctly faecal-like odour. The taste of mushrooms is frequently correlated with their aroma. What components does the core of a mushroom flavour consist of? Chemical analysis of specimens reveals compounds responsible for characteristic flavour and odour. It was found that the most characteristic flavour compound is defined mainly by C8 volatiles. Between all C8 compounds the most important for mushroom flavour are oct-1-en-3-ol, octan-3-ol, octan-3-on and oct-1-en-3-on. Fungi and mushrooms can enable biotechnological production of some flavour components, for instance the Nidula niveotomentosa produces a characteristic raspberries compound - raspberry ketone in submerged cultures; the biotechnological production can also provide rare and tasty forest mushroom biomass e.g. edible boletus.Bogactwo aromatów w świecie grzybów pozwala na biotechnologiczne wykorzystanie ich do otrzymywania bądź to czystych związków, jak np. w przypadku ketonu malinowego pozyskiwanego z Nidula niveotomentosa, bądź np. aromatycznej grzybni mogącej zastąpić rzadkie i pożądane gatunki grzybów leśnych, np. borowików

Hitherto unreported Agaricus species of Central India

Karwa A, Rai MK. 2010. Spesies Agaricus dari India Tengah yang belum dilaporkan sampai sekarang. Nusantara Bioscience 2: 141-145. Kawasan hutan Melghat di India Tengah disurvei untuk mengetahui keberadaan jamur yang berkhasiat obat dan kuliner selama tahun 2005-2008. Dari total 153 spesies jamur, sepuluh spesies Agaricus ditemukan di berbagai lokasi yang berbeda. Dari jumlah tersebut, tujuh spesies yaitu Agaricus bitorquis, A. subrufescens, A. augustus, A. placomyces, A. essettei, A. basioanolosus dan Agaricus sp. nov. (spesies baru) baru pertama kali dilaporkan keberadaannya di kawasan ini. Jamur komersial Agaricus bisporus tidak memiliki karakter perkembangbiakan yang baik karena secara alamiah bersifat bispora. Kerabat liar dari jamur ini dapat digunakan sebagai sumber manipulasi genetik pada strain yang ada dan juga untuk mengembangkan strain baru dengan karakter yang lebih baik. Kata kunci: Agaricus, India Tengah, komersial, dimakan, Melghat

Analysis of indole derivatives in methanolic extracts from mycelium of Agaricus bisporus cultured in vitro on liquid Oddoux medium

Methanolic extracts obtained from biomass of Agaricus bisporus (J.E. Lange) Imbach cultured in vitro were analyzed for qualitative and quantitative composition of non-hallucinogenic indole compounds in order to compare their amount with fruiting bodies of these species. Extracts demonstrated to contain six indole compounds. Contents of individual compounds ranged from 0.01 to 21.33 mg/100 g d.w. in biomass from in vitro cultures. The quantitatively dominating compounds included: 5-hydroxytryptophan (12.50 mg/100 g d.w.), Ltryptophan (14.00 mg/100 g d.w.) and serotonin (7.00 mg/100 g d.w.). Total content of the remaining indole compounds under analysis in the study was 55.32 mg/100 g d.w.Po raz pierwszy zidentyfikowane i ilościowo oznaczone zostały związki indolowe w kulturach in vitro Agaricus bisporus na płynnym podłożu wg Oddoux. Analiza wykazała, że ekstrakty metanolowe otrzymane z grzybni zawierają sześć związków indolowych: L -tryptofan, 5 - hydroksytryptofan, serotoninę, melatoninę, tryptaminę i 5-metylotryptamię. Zawartości poszczególnych składników w biomasie z kultur in vitro były zróżnicowane w zakresie od 0,01 do 21,33 mg/100 g s. m. Dominującymi ilościowo związkami były: 5-hydroksytryptofan (12,50 mg/100 g s. m.), L-tryptofan (14,00 mg/100 g) i serotonina (7,00 mg/100 g). Całkowita zawartość związków indolowych w badanym materiale wynosiła 55,32 mg/100 g s. m. Biomasa z kultur in vitro badanego gatunku jest dobrym źródłem 5-hydroksytryptofanu i L- tryptofanu. Kultury in vitro A. bisporus mogą być wykorzystane jako model do badań nad akumulacją i metabolizmem związków indolowych

Economic Analysis of Using Soybean Meal as a Mushroom Growing Substrate

Mushrooms have been grown commercially on many different substrates for years, usually agricultural by-products such as straw or stover. Increased popularity for specialty mushrooms with consumers has led to increased production and great demand for economic substrates. Oyster mushrooms are easier to grow relative to other types of mushrooms and their production has increased dramatically in recent years. This study examines the economic feasibility of using soybean hulls as a primary substrate for oyster mushrooms, replacing traditional wheat straw. The study uses a cost-benefit analysis to determine an optimal substrate based on yield and the number of crops harvested per year. The study shows that soybean hulls, combined with corn gluten or soybean meal increases yield 4.5 times, which more than offsets for higher costs for soybean hulls. The use of soybean substrate also allows a producer to raise about four more crops per year, which in turn uses fixed resources more efficiently and increases profitability.Oyster, Mushrooms, Substrate, Soybean, Hulls, Meal, Economic, Feasibility, Crop Production/Industries,

The use of composted woodchip as a substrate for growing varieties of edible mushrooms

The world market for edible mycorrhizal mushrooms has experienced considerable growth over the past two decades with annual production estimated to exceed 14 billion USD. The market continues to grow due to interest in the nutritional and health benefits of edible mushrooms. The size of the market for speciality mushrooms has also increased and the overall market trend has been towards fresh rather than canned product. There are a number of different cultural methods in commercial use, with a wide variety of species produced on different substrates. The aim of this project was to evaluate woodchip compost as a substrate to produce edible mushrooms. Woodchip compost appears to have potential as a growing medium but more development is necessary to make this a commercial proposition. This report sets out these findings in more detail