Effect of Household Cooking Treatments on the Stability of β-glucans, Ergosterol, and Phenolic Compounds in White-Button (Agaricus bisporus) and Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) Mushrooms

Abstract

White-button (Agaricus bisporus) and shiitake (Lentinula edodes) mushrooms are widely consumed worldwide because of their organoleptic properties but also their bioactive compounds such as β-glucans, ergosterol, and phenolic compounds. Although these mushrooms can be eaten as raw food, they are usually subjected to household cooking treatments, so their effect on the stability of these molecules was evaluated in this work. The results showed that frying reduced β-glucan and ergosterol content but protected mushrooms from the loss of phenolic compounds that were mainly affected by boiling, being this procedure able to increase β-glucans and ergosterol concentrations. It can be concluded that culinary treatments had differential effects depending on the specific molecule, so they should be applied or avoided considering the target compound. Moreover, further research is encouraged to fully understand the mechanisms involved in the content variations and the impact on the biological activity of these mushrooms.