Research Progress on Elements of Wild Edible Mushrooms

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Environmental Science
• Toxicology

Background:

• Wild edible mushrooms are globally consumed seasonal foods, valued for nutrients like polysaccharides and vitamins.
• They exhibit significant enrichment in essential trace elements and heavy metals compared to plants and cultivated varieties.
• Elevated heavy metal content presents potential health risks to consumers and impacts international trade.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the elemental composition of wild edible mushrooms worldwide.
• To assess the levels of essential trace elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu) and harmful heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, As).
• To provide a reference for risk assessment and understanding elemental distribution in wild edible mushrooms.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of elemental content in nearly 400 wild edible mushroom species.
• Analysis of data from 10 countries.
• Categorization of factors influencing elemental content.

Main Results:

• Wild edible mushrooms accumulate essential trace elements and heavy metals.
• Internal factors (species-specific enrichment ability) and external factors (environmental pollution, geochemistry) influence elemental content.
• Significant variation in elemental profiles across different species and geographical locations.

Conclusions:

• Wild edible mushrooms' elemental profiles are influenced by both intrinsic species traits and extrinsic environmental conditions.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for evaluating health risks associated with consuming wild edible mushrooms.
• This review serves as a foundation for future research on safe consumption and trade regulations.