The effect of drying temperature on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Leccinum scabrum (Bull.) Gray and Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Pers.

In the study the effect of drying temperature on phenolic and organic acid content, total phenolic content, ergosterol content, antioxidant activity and content of 40 elements in fruiting bodies of Leccinum scabrum and Hericium erinaceus was estimated. The analysis was performed for fresh fruiting bodies and those dried at 20, 40 and 70 degrees C. Drying resulted in changes in the profile of phenolic and organic acids. Drying generally resulted in losses of the content of total phenolics, ergosterol and antioxidant activity in both species. However, a reduction and an increase of phenolic acids and organic acids were observed. The greatest reduction of the compounds was generally observed at 70 degrees C. The greatest losses concerned organic acids (some single components and total) (even more than 90% of some compounds). The inhibition of free radicals decreased in the following order: fresh samples > air-dried samples > samples dried at 40 degrees C > samples dried at 70 degrees C. The drying temperature affected only selected element contents in fruiting bodies.