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Mushrooms have become a relevant part of our diet globally, as non-animal sources of proteins; but data on their value chain and environmental impact are still scarce. Therefore, a good understanding of the environmental impacts of mushroom production, the environmental hotspots throughout the value chain, comparisons between production systems and regions, and an assessment of the improvement potential of mushroom production is required. This paper carried out a life cycle assessment (LCA) to estimate the environmental impacts of three Agaricus bisporus mushroom production systems in three different European countries: Spain, Poland and Serbia. We found that there is a large variability in the composition of the substrates, which is in all cases a combination of compost (mainly straw and animal manure) topped by casing materials (mainly peat), and a large variability in energy use, substrate use and yields. Especially the Serbian organic dried mushroom case distinguishes from the other conventional fresh mushroom cases. This is also reflected in the life cycle impact assessment results. The composting processes resulted in the largest contribution to environmental impact (about 49.6% on average ranging between 16.4% and 84.4% across all impacts assessed), followed by the electricity production and the casing (respectively 20.3% and 10.3% on average across all systems and impact categories analysed). Thus, optimizing composting and casing production together with switching to renewable energy sources appeared to be the most effective to reduce the overall environmental impacts of mushroom production. This paper provided a comprehensive assessment across Europe which could be further expanded to have a broader and more representative overview of the impact of mushroom production at European level. • A life cycle assessment (LCA) of three mushroom production systems was carried out. • Composting, casing and electricity production are the main source of impacts. • Large variability was observed in casing and compost use. • Optimising compost, casing and electricity production improves mushroom impacts. • Increasing mushroom productivity reduced mushroom production environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contents of 16 minerals and trace elements (Ag, As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Pt, Ti and Zn) were analyzed in edible mushrooms (Leccinum scabrum,Boletus edulisandBoletus badius) collected in southwest Poland. Content of Co, Ni and Pb was similar in all tested mushroom species, while content of Ag, Ca, Cd, Hg and Ti was significantly higher inB. edulisthan inL. scabrumandB. badius. The largest differences between these species were observed for Fe and Zn accumulation. The highest contents of these elements were noted inB. badiusbodies (202 ± 88 and 137 ± 24 mg kg−1dry matter, respectively), lower inB. edulis(131 ± 99 and 89 ± 26 mg kg−1dry matter, respectively) and lowest inL. scabrum.Differences in As, Cu and Cr content between tested species were observed mainly betweenL. scabrumandB. badiusfruiting bodies. Content of Pt was below 0.01 mg kg−1dry matter). In the case of Mg and Mn accumulation, differences betweenB. edulisandB. badiuswere not observed (478 and 440 mg kg−1dry matter for Mg and 23 and 19 mg kg−1dry matter for Mn), and the results showed significantly higher content of these elements than inL. scabrumbodies (312 and 10 mg kg−1dry matter, respectively). It is worth underlining that clear accumulation shown by the bioconcentration factor (BCF>1) observed for all three mushroom species was noted in the case of elements Ag, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Ni and Zn only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. This paper constitutes a supplementary study of the research conducted to assess accumulation efficiency of selected trace elements by Xerocomus badius fruiting bodies picked in some regions of Poland in selected years. Material and methods. Atomic absorption/emission spectrometry techniques (FAAS and AES) were applied to determine in the fruiting bodies of this mushroom species the total contents of Ca, K, Mg and Na, as well as Al as a metal capable of entering into easy interactions with nutritional elements and inhibiting their proper action in the human organism. Results. The highest concentrations of Al, K and Mg were determined in mushroom fruiting bodies collected in the Lower Silesia Voivodeship, amounting to 28.08 ±5.81 mg·kg-1 d.w., 2.39 ±0.21 g·kg-1 d.w. and 372.31 ±90.55 mg·kg-1 d.w., respectively. On the other hand, the highest concentrations of Ca (78.08 ±24.64 mg·kg-1 d.w.) were recorded in mushrooms from the Lódz Voivodeship, while the highest concentrations of Na (77.03 ±20.46 mg·kg-1 d.w.) - in those from the Pomeranian Voivodeship were observed. In general, BCF > 1 was found only for K accumulation. Conclusion. Concentrations of nutritional elements determined in this study revealed that the consumption of X. badius fruiting bodies supplied only small quantities of these constituents in comparison with the amounts consumed in other products. The detected Al concentrations showed that fruiting bodies of this mushroom species consumed in Poland during the past 20 years could not lead to health problems caused by the presence of this metal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contamination, bio-concentration and distribution of mercury (Hg) in wild mushrooms of the genus Tricholoma such as T. equestre, T. portentosum, T. columbeta, and T. terreum were studied, and the possible dietary intake and risk for human consumers in Europe was estimated. Mushrooms, together with the associated forest topsoils were collected from 10 unpolluted and geographically distant areas, far from local or regional emission sources, in Poland (2 sites) and Croatia (8 sites). The Hg contents were in the range 0.10 ± 0.06 to 0.71 ± 0.34 mg kg−1 dry matter in caps and 0.04 ± 0.02 to 0.38 ± 0.13 mg kg−1 in stems. The corresponding topsoil concentrations varied over a relatively narrow range between sites, from 0.013 ± 0.003 to 0.028 ± 0.006 mg kg−1 dry matter. Overall, the study results showed low levels of mercury both, in edible Tricholoma mushrooms and forest topsoils from background (unpolluted) forested areas in Croatia and Poland. The morphological distribution showed considerably greater concentrations of mercury in the caps relative to the stems with ratios ranging from 1.6 ± 0.6 to 3.9 ± 1.8. T. equestre showed good ability to bioconcentrate Hg, with bioconcentration factors (BCF) values in the range 18 ± 7 to 37 ± 18. The data suggests that Tricholoma mushrooms from unpolluted areas in southern and northern regions of Europe can be considered as a low risk food from the point of view of the tolerable Hg intake. • Mushrooms are a valuable food all over the world. • Mercury concentrations in Tricholoma spp. from Croatia and Poland were determined. • Tricholoma spp. mushrooms efficiently bio-accumulate mercury. • Hg intake via Tricholoma spp. poses no health risk for studied regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to analyse levels of 17 trace elements and 5 major minerals in 11 Boletus badius fruiting bodies able to grow in extremely polluted waste (flotation tailings) and polluted soil in southern Poland. The presented data widen the limited literature data about the abilities of wild-growing mushroom species to grow on heavily contaminated substrates. Content of elements in waste, soil and mushrooms was analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS - Hg). The industrial areas differed greatly as regards the content of elements in flotation tailings and soil; therefore differences in Ag, Ba, Cd, Co, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, Ca, K, Mg, Na and P accumulation in mushrooms were observed. The highest contents of elements in mushrooms were observed for: As, Al, Cu and Zn (86 ± 28, 549 ± 116, 341 ± 59 and 506 ± 40 mg kg(-1) dry matter, respectively). Calculated bioconcentration factor (BCF) values were higher than 1 for Al (15.1-16.9), Fe (10.6-24.4) and Hg (10.2-16.4) only. The main value of the presented results is the fact that one of the common wild-growing mushroom species was able to grow on flotation tailings containing over 22 g kg(-1) of As and, additionally, effective accumulation of other elements was observed. In view of the high content of the majority of analysed elements in fruiting bodies, edible mushrooms from such polluted areas are nonconsumable.