Non-volatile taste components of several commercial mushrooms

Winter (strains white and yellow), shiitake (strains 271 and Taichung 1) and oyster mushrooms (abalone and tree oyster mushrooms) were collected from commercial sources. Strain yellow contained 26.7% of proteins (higher than other mushrooms). Shiitake and the two oyster mushrooms contained more than 60% of carbohydrates. Arabitol was found in the highest amounts only in winter mushrooms. Glucose, mannitol and trehalose were found in varied amounts. Total soluble sugar contents were in the order: winter mushrooms > shiitake > abalone and tree oyster mushrooms. Total contents of free amino acids also varied and ranged from 4.08 to 31.5 mg g(-1) dry weight. Contents of total 5'-nucleotides were similar in the two winter mushrooms, whereas the content of flavour 5'-nucleotides was higher in strain white. Contents of total and flavour 5'-nucleotides were higher in strain 271 than in strain Tainung 1. The two oyster mushrooms were comparable in contents of flavour 5'-nucleotides. The umami taste was in the order: strain 271 > winter mushrooms > two oyster mushrooms and strain Tainung 1. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.