Calcium Enrichment in Edible Mushrooms: A Review

Calcium is one of the essential minerals that enhances various biological activities, including the regulation of blood pressure, the prevention of osteoporosis and colorectal adenomas. Calcium-enriched edible mushrooms can be considered as one of the important daily sources of calcium in foods. Calcium accumulation in edible mushrooms is an effective way to enhance its activities because the organic state of calcium metabolites in edible mushrooms can be formed from the original inorganic calcium. The main calcium sources for calcium-enriched edible mushrooms' cultivation are CaCO₃, CaCl₂ or Ca(NO₃)₂. The growth and metabolic process of edible mushrooms are significantly influenced by calcium enrichment. Generally, Ca at low levels is good for the production of edible mushrooms, whereas the reverse phenomenon for the growth of edible mushrooms at high Ca contents is observed. In addition, metabolites, for example, phenolics, flavonoids, polysaccharides, enzymes, minerals, etc., are improved when edible mushrooms are enriched at a moderate level of calcium. This review summarized the literature regarding the influence of calcium enrichment on edible mushrooms' growth and major metabolites. Furthermore, the mechanisms of calcium enrichment in edible mushrooms were highlighted. Understanding calcium-enriched mechanisms in edible mushrooms would not only be beneficial to manipulate the cultivation of edible mushrooms having excellent biological activities and high levels of active Ca, but it would also contribute to the applications of calcium enrichment products in food industries.