{"title":"Comparative nutritional and flavor analysis of Lentinula edodes of different varieties: wild and cultivated strains","authors":"Zuoyi Zhu, Junliang Chen, Yingkun Yang, Jiarong Yao, Zhen Li, Fen Dai, Haibao Zhu","doi":"10.1186/s40538-026-01007-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p><i>Lentinula edodes</i> is one of the most cultivated edible mushrooms in the world, renowned for its distinctive texture, high nutritional value, and umami-rich flavor profile. So far, <i>Lentinula edodes</i> industry faces significant challenges including scarcity of regionally adapted elite varieties, degeneration of traditional strains, and suboptimal flavor profiles, heightening the need of flavor-oriented variety breeding and quality evaluation.</p><h3>Methods and results</h3><p>This study investigated the nutritional and flavor profiles of four <i>Lentinula edodes</i> varieties (two wild strains and two cultivated strains). Significant inter-varietal differences were observed in proximate composition, essential minerals and bioactive compounds. Key tasty components included free amino acids, 5′-nucleotides, soluble sugars and polyols. Differential levels of monosodium glutamate-like amino acids and 5′-nucleotides resulted in significantly varied equivalent umami concentration (EUC) values among varieties. Volatile analysis identified 68 compounds, with 32 exhibiting OAV > 1. The characteristic aroma profile of <i>Lentinula edodes</i> was attributed to key aroma contributors: eight-carbon compounds (1-octen-3-ol, 1-octen-3-one, and 3-octanone) and sulfur-containing compounds (dimethyl disulfide, 1,2,4-trithiolane, 1,2,4,5-tetrathiane, and lenthionine). Hierarchical cluster analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis identified the characteristic aroma-active volatiles responsible for the varietal aroma differences. Each variety had a unique taste and odor, which could be completely distinguished by the electronic tongue and electronic nose.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Distinct nutritional and flavor profiles exist among different <i>Lentinula edodes</i> varieties. The wild strain S2 exhibited superior EUC and volatile abundance, representing a promising elite germplasm. These findings provide a scientific basis for quality assessment, flavor improvement, and targeted breeding of <i>Lentinula edodes</i>.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8000,"publicationDate":"2026-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s40538-026-01007-w.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40538-026-01007-w","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/9/10 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"AGRICULTURE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Lentinula edodes is one of the most cultivated edible mushrooms in the world, renowned for its distinctive texture, high nutritional value, and umami-rich flavor profile. So far, Lentinula edodes industry faces significant challenges including scarcity of regionally adapted elite varieties, degeneration of traditional strains, and suboptimal flavor profiles, heightening the need of flavor-oriented variety breeding and quality evaluation.
Methods and results
This study investigated the nutritional and flavor profiles of four Lentinula edodes varieties (two wild strains and two cultivated strains). Significant inter-varietal differences were observed in proximate composition, essential minerals and bioactive compounds. Key tasty components included free amino acids, 5′-nucleotides, soluble sugars and polyols. Differential levels of monosodium glutamate-like amino acids and 5′-nucleotides resulted in significantly varied equivalent umami concentration (EUC) values among varieties. Volatile analysis identified 68 compounds, with 32 exhibiting OAV > 1. The characteristic aroma profile of Lentinula edodes was attributed to key aroma contributors: eight-carbon compounds (1-octen-3-ol, 1-octen-3-one, and 3-octanone) and sulfur-containing compounds (dimethyl disulfide, 1,2,4-trithiolane, 1,2,4,5-tetrathiane, and lenthionine). Hierarchical cluster analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis identified the characteristic aroma-active volatiles responsible for the varietal aroma differences. Each variety had a unique taste and odor, which could be completely distinguished by the electronic tongue and electronic nose.
Conclusions
Distinct nutritional and flavor profiles exist among different Lentinula edodes varieties. The wild strain S2 exhibited superior EUC and volatile abundance, representing a promising elite germplasm. These findings provide a scientific basis for quality assessment, flavor improvement, and targeted breeding of Lentinula edodes.
期刊介绍：
Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture is an international, interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed forum for the advancement and application to all fields of agriculture of modern chemical, biochemical and molecular technologies. The scope of this journal includes chemical and biochemical processes aimed to increase sustainable agricultural and food production, the evaluation of quality and origin of raw primary products and their transformation into foods and chemicals, as well as environmental monitoring and remediation. Of special interest are the effects of chemical and biochemical technologies, also at the nano and supramolecular scale, on the relationships between soil, plants, microorganisms and their environment, with the help of modern bioinformatics. Another special focus is the use of modern bioorganic and biological chemistry to develop new technologies for plant nutrition and bio-stimulation, advancement of biorefineries from biomasses, safe and traceable food products, carbon storage in soil and plants and restoration of contaminated soils to agriculture.
This journal presents the first opportunity to bring together researchers from a wide number of disciplines within the agricultural chemical and biological sciences, from both industry and academia. The principle aim of Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture is to allow the exchange of the most advanced chemical and biochemical knowledge to develop technologies which address one of the most pressing challenges of our times - sustaining a growing world population.
Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture publishes original research articles, short letters and invited reviews. Articles from scientists in industry, academia as well as private research institutes, non-governmental and environmental organizations are encouraged.
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