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Edible Mushrooms: Nutrition and Safety
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Edible Mushrooms: Nutrition and Safety

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 July 2026 | Viewed by 3882

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Hye-Jin Park

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
Interests: functional foods; natural products; edible fungi; immune; allergy; inflammation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Edible mushrooms have long been used for their unique nutritional and medicinal values. As a rich source of bioactive compounds, they contribute to various health benefits, including immune modulation, anti-inflammatory effects, and potential allergy prevention. Their applications in functional foods and natural product research continue to expand, offering promising solutions for health and disease management.

This Special Issue, "Edible Mushrooms: Nutrition and Safety", aims to explore the latest research on the health benefits, bioactive components, and safety aspects of edible fungi. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and short communications covering, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Functional food applications of edible mushrooms;
  • Bioactive compounds in mushrooms and their biological activities;
  • Immunomodulatory effects of edible fungi;
  • Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect of natural mushroom extracts;
  • Safety assessment and toxicological studies of edible mushrooms;
  • Advances in mushroom cultivation or processing for enhanced nutritional and therapeutic value.

We invite researchers from diverse disciplines, including food science, nutrition, pharmacology, and biotechnology, to contribute their latest findings to this Special Issue. Your valuable research will help further our understanding of edible mushrooms as functional foods and their role in human health.

We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Hye-Jin Park
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • edible mushroom
  • bioactive compounds
  • immunomodulation
  • anti-inflammatory
  • anti-allergy
  • safety assessment

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1791 KB  
Article
Selenium Bioaccumulation in Sanghuangporus sanghuang: Source-Specific Regulation of Fruiting Body Development, Selenium Speciation, and Nutritional Quality
by Taizeng Xin, Meina He, Tengye Luan, Ning Jiang, Feng Zhou, Lei Zha, Xiaodong Shang, Haoran Dong and Hailong Yu
Foods 2026, 15(9), 1575; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15091575 - 3 May 2026
Viewed by 384
Abstract
Sanghuangporus sanghuang (S. sanghuang) is an important medicinal mushroom rich in bioactive compounds. Selenium (Se) biofortification may further enhance its functional value and industrial profitability; however, evidence-based guidance on Se source selection and dosage for production remains insufficient. Using the strain [...] Read more.
Sanghuangporus sanghuang (S. sanghuang) is an important medicinal mushroom rich in bioactive compounds. Selenium (Se) biofortification may further enhance its functional value and industrial profitability; however, evidence-based guidance on Se source selection and dosage for production remains insufficient. Using the strain “Sanghuang Hu2”, we compared sodium selenite, nano-selenium (nano-Se), and selenium-enriched yeast (Se-yeast) at different supplementation levels and comprehensively evaluated their effects on mycelial growth and fruiting body development, Se accumulation and speciation, and nutritional quality. The responses of S. sanghuang were strongly Se-source-specific and concentration-dependent. Se-yeast caused the least inhibition of mycelial growth while achieving the highest Se uptake and biotransformation efficiency. During bag cultivation, supplementation with 15 mg/kg Se-yeast significantly increased single-bag yield and biological efficiency without prolonging full colonization time and exhibited superior input cost performance. This treatment enabled an extremely high proportion of organic Se accumulation (>99.5%), dominated by selenomethionine. Moreover, Se-yeast markedly improved crude protein, crude polysaccharides, and total amino acids in fruiting bodies, with lysine showing the largest increase. Overall, considering growth and yield, Se accumulation/speciation, nutritional enhancement, and economic feasibility, Se-yeast is the optimal Se source for Se-enriched Sanghuang, with a recommended dosage of 15 mg/kg. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible Mushrooms: Nutrition and Safety)
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23 pages, 7914 KB  
Article
Optimized Extraction of Soluble Dietary Fiber from Lyophyllum decastes and Its Effect on Hypolipidemic and Gut Microbiota in Mice
by Jiasen Jiang, Wenhan Wang, Shanshan He, Wei Jia, Liping Liu, Jinyan Wang, Yanfang Liu, Jie Feng, Yongjun Xia and Jingsong Zhang
Foods 2026, 15(4), 604; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15040604 - 7 Feb 2026
Viewed by 665
Abstract
Lyophyllum decastes soluble dietary fiber (LDSDF) is a polysaccharide-based active ingredient derived from the edible and medicinal fungus L. decastes. However, its extraction methods remain unoptimized, and its hypolipidemic and gut microbiota effects have yet to be thoroughly investigated in mice. In [...] Read more.
Lyophyllum decastes soluble dietary fiber (LDSDF) is a polysaccharide-based active ingredient derived from the edible and medicinal fungus L. decastes. However, its extraction methods remain unoptimized, and its hypolipidemic and gut microbiota effects have yet to be thoroughly investigated in mice. In this study, response surface optimization of the LDSDF extraction method indicated an optimal extraction temperature of 99 °C, a solid/liquid ratio of 25:1 mL/g, and an extraction time of 1.9 h. The optimal ethanol precipitation parameters were a concentration ratio of 3.9, an ethanol concentration of 74.4%, and a precipitation time of 16.4 h. These conditions afforded an LDSDF yield of 15.83%. Following 6 weeks of oral gavage of LDSDF in obese mice, the results showed that LDSDF inhibited increases in body and organ weight; reduced serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; increased serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; decreased alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities; and lowered systemic levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β). Concurrently, it elevated the hepatic activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase; reduced malondialdehyde levels; and mitigated lesions in liver and epididymal fat cells. Meanwhile, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that LDSDF significantly alleviated intestinal flora imbalances. Overall, this study established an optimized extraction process to obtain LDSDF with a high yield and confirmed the hypolipidemic and gut microbiota-modulating efficacy of this active ingredient, highlighting its potential for use as a functional food ingredient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible Mushrooms: Nutrition and Safety)
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Review

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23 pages, 920 KB  
Review
Agaricus bisporus Grown on Sustainable Peat Casing Alternatives—A Systematic Review on Quality Characteristics
by Mareike Helena Dissemond, Charlotte Elisabeth Franken and Miriam Sari
Foods 2025, 14(19), 3348; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14193348 - 26 Sep 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1929
Abstract
Edible mushrooms are increasingly recognized for their high nutritional value and contribution to a healthy diet. Among them, Agaricus bisporus is the most commercially important species in Europe and North America. However, the environmental impact of traditional peat use in A. bisporus cultivation [...] Read more.
Edible mushrooms are increasingly recognized for their high nutritional value and contribution to a healthy diet. Among them, Agaricus bisporus is the most commercially important species in Europe and North America. However, the environmental impact of traditional peat use in A. bisporus cultivation necessitates the development of sustainable alternatives, given the ecological significance of peatlands. When evaluating casing materials, it is essential to consider not only yield but also other critical factors influencing marketability, such as nutritional value, appearance, and texture. This systematic review examines seventeen studies published between 1989 and 2025 that investigated various peat substitutes while assessing a range of quality criteria. The findings were categorized into seven groups, encompassing both chemical composition and phenotypic characteristics of the fruiting bodies. Most studies focused on the organic and inorganic content of the fruiting bodies, followed by measurements of size and weight. Some alternative casings, for example, increased dry matter contents, which indicates a high solid substance content, such as of proteins or minerals. However, this was not always beneficial, as it could negatively affect texture. Overall, the reviewed studies demonstrate that different casing materials can directly influence quality parameters, and even minor adjustments in casing composition can enhance fruiting body quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible Mushrooms: Nutrition and Safety)
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