Effects of culture substrates on taste component content and taste quality of <i>Lentinula edodes</i>

Abstract

Summary In this research, the effects of culture substrates on taste component content of Lentinula edodes were studied, and the resulting taste quality of L. edodes was evaluated. The results revealed that single‐carbon and single‐nitrogen sources were beneficial to production of soluble sugars and polyols, organic acids and sweet amino acids, whereas a single‐carbon source was beneficial to essential amino acid production, and a mixed‐carbon source was beneficial to umami 5′‐nucleotides and high mushroom production yield. High C/N values were beneficial to trehalose, arabitol, malic acid, and succinic acid production, while low C/N values were beneficial to mannitol and citric acid production. L. edodes fruiting bodies, harvested from a culture substrate containing single carbon, high proportion of cereal bran, had a more palatable taste quality, while a substrate containing bagasse and low C/N values was not suitable for L. edodes cultivation due to unfavourable taste quality. These results provide cultivation information how to obtain fruiting bodies L. edodes with more taste components.