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Biofortification of Three Cultivated Mushroom Species with Three Iron Salts -Potential for a New Iron-Rich Superfood
Mushrooms fortified with iron (Fe) can offer a promising alternative to counter the worldwide deficiency problem. However, the factors that may influence the efficiency of fortification have not yet been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of three Fe forms (FeCl3 6H2O, FeSO4 7H2O, or FeHBED) in three concentrations (5, 10, or 50 mM) for three mushroom species (Pleurotus eryngii, P. ostreatus, or Pholiota nameko) on their chemical composition, phenolic compounds, and organic acid production. The most effective metal accumulation of all the investigated species was for the 50 mM addition. FeCl3 6H2O was the most favorable additive for P. eryngii and P. nameko (up to 145 and 185% Fe more than in the control, respectively) and FeHBED for P. ostreatus (up to 108% Fe more than in control). Additionally, P. nameko showed the highest Fe accumulation among studied species (89.2 ± 7.51 mg kg−1 DW). The creation of phenolic acids was generally inhibited by Fe salt supplementation. However, an increasing effect on phenolic acid concentration was observed for P. ostreatus cultivated at 5 mM FeCl3 6H2O and for P. eryngii cultivated at 5 mM FeCl3 6H2O and 5 mM FeSO4 7H2O. In the case of organic acids, a similar situation was observed. For P. ostreatus, FeSO4 7H2O and FeHBED salts increased the formation of the determined organic acids in fruiting bodies. P. eryngii and P. nameko were characterized by a much lower content of organic acids in the systems supplemented with Fe. Based on the obtained results, we recommend starting fortification by preliminarily indicating which form of the element is preferred for the species of interest for supplementation. It also seems that using an additive concentration of 50 mM or higher is most effective.
The Influence of Land Use on Seasonal Variation in Soil Properties, Microbial Activity, and Bioactive Acid Accumulation in Taraxacum officinale and Plantago major
(1) Background: Plantago major and Taraxacum officinale exhibit high tolerance to soil pollution and are recognised as bioindicators of soil quality. The objectives of the study were to investigate (i) the physicochemical and microbiological properties of rhizosphere soil beneath P. major and T. officinale in different land uses, (ii) the accumulation of elements, phenolic and organic acids in soil as well as in the plants, and (iii) the relationships between these parameters. (2) Methods: Samples were collected from three locations: the sediment retention area, the post-mining area, and the recreational area in May and September. (3) Results: Significant seasonal differences were observed in soil parameters, enzymatic activity, microbial abundance, and the contents of elements, organic acids, and phenolic acids between plant species and sampling areas, with changes reaching several hundred per cent. Correlations were found between dehydrogenase and organic matter, S, Al, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P; and phosphatases and Al, Co, Cr, Fe, Mg, Ni, and Mn; as well as between total phenolic content and phosphatases; syringic acid and dehydrogenase; and alkaline phosphatase and lactic and citric acids. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that plant–soil interactions, in relation to land use, influence rhizosphere biochemistry, thereby impacting soil health and supporting ecosystem recovery.
Phenolic Compounds and Organic Acid Composition of Syringa vulgaris L. Flowers and Infusions
The study aimed to determine the content of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids and flavonoids) and organic acids in dried flowers and water infusions of non-oxidised and oxidised flowers from four lilac cultivars. The diversity in the total phenolic and flavonoid content was in the flowers (18.35–67.14 and 2.03–2.65 mg g−1 DW, respectively) and infusions (14.72–47.78 and 0.20–1.84 mg per 100 mL infusion, respectively) depending the flower colour and form (oxidised and non-oxidised). Phenolic compounds and organic acids were susceptible to oxidation. Compared to infusions, flowers had more phenolic compounds and organic acids. The highest content of most phenolic compounds was confirmed for non-oxidised purple flowers (up to 7825.9 µg g−1 DW for chlorogenic acid) while in infusions for non-oxidised white flowers (up to 667.1 µg per 100 mL infusions for vanillic acid). The phenolic profile of the infusions was less diverse than that of flowers. The scavenging ability ranged from 52 to 87%. The highest organic acid content in flowers was for oxidised blue and purple flowers (2528.1 and 2479.0 µg g−1 DW, respectively) while in infusions the highest organic acid content was for oxidised purple flowers (550.1 µg per 100 mL infusions).