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POLYPHENOLS CONTENTS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF SOME ROMANIAN WILD EDIBLE MUSHROOMS

MARIA-LIDIA POPESCU, TEODORA COSTEA^*, IOANA NENCU, LIGIA ELENA DUŢU, CERASELA ELENA GÎRD

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Mushrooms are widely used for their nutritional value and pharmacological properties. The aim of our study was the determination of polyphenols contents and antioxidant activity of some Romanian wild edible mushrooms (Boletus edulis, Armillaria mellea and Macrolepiota procera), which were dried using different methods (sun-drying and freeze-drying). A spectrophotometric method was used for polyphenols determination and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) reducing power for antioxidant activity. Lyophilisation is the optimum method for mushrooms drying, since it leads to a higher content of polyphenols and a stronger antioxidant activity. Freeze-dried Boletus edulis and Macrolepiota procera have the highest content of polyphenols (1.4010 g% and 1.2309 g%) and the best antioxidant activity. The negative correlation observed between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity involves the role of other active substances (polysaccharides, minerals) in the overall antioxidant capacity. Apart from their excellent nutritional value, the analysed mushrooms are a valuable source of natural antioxidants.