LAUSR

Abstract Mushrooms are well-known for their richness of health-beneficial bioactive metabolites. In recent years, consumer interests regarding fatty acid compositions of different foods are increasing. Thus, the present study was designed to characterize sterols and fatty acid compositions of fifteen types of edible mushrooms marketed in Korea utilizing gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection (FID) and GC-mass spectrometry (MS). Among all studied samples, significant variations were recorded for contents of sterols. Among all sterols identified and quantified, ergosterol (ergosta-5,7,22-trien- 3β-ol) was found to be the most abundant (774.2–82.1 mg/100 g dry weight (DW)), with minor presence of ergosta-5,7-dien-3β-ol, ergosta-7-3β-ol, and ergosta-7,22-dien-3β-ol. Regarding fatty acid compositions, linoleic (C18:2n6c) was recorded in the highest quantity (79.5% of total fatty acids), followed by palmitic, oleic, and stearic acid. These four fatty acids together accounted for 64.8% (Santali; No 3) to 96.6% (‘DDL01’ ferulae; No 9) of total fatty acids. Exceptionally, in ‘Nolu’ Lion's mane (No. 5) mushrooms, palmitic acid had the highest quantity (34.9% of total fatty acids), followed by linoleic (24.5% of total), oleic, and stearic acid. Fat quality indices such as the ratio of hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic fatty acids, atherogenic index, and thrombogenic index from these studied mushrooms indicate that mushroom fats are beneficial for health.