Research Progress of Mineral Elements in Edible (or Medicinal) Fungi

The rich amount of proteins, carbohydrate, polysaccharides, unsaturated fatty acids and essential minerals make many edible fungi a good food for the consumer. Many data about the concentration of essential elements Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and toxic elements As, Cd, Pb, Hg are reviewed in this paper. The result show that the highest concentration of Fe is 4 200 mg/kg, and the lowest concentration is 2 mg/kg, but the range of Fe content in most edible fungi are between 50 and 200 mg/kg; The highest concentration of Mn is 286 mg/kg, and the lowest concentration is 0.09 mg/kg with the range for most edible fungi are between 10 and 50 mg/kg; For Cu and Zn the highest content can be 360 mg/kg and 420 mg/kg, and the lowest concentration is 0.34 mg/kg and 1.61 mg/kg, while the range content of Cu for most of the edible fungi are below 50 mg/kg and between 20-100 mg/kg, respectively. Obviously, the concentration of As in Laccaria laccata, Laccaria vinaceoavellanea, and Laccaria amethystine are much higher than the limits in edible mushroom regulated by GB 2762-2012, and the permissible limits in food promulgated by World Health Organization. The concentration of Cd, Pb, and Hg are more than the limit standard for most of edible fungi. The content of essential and toxic elements have a significant correlation with the origin. It is seriously to take into consideration when consume this edible fungi.