A characteristic of mycelium biomass of edible boletus

The paper presents the results of studies on the production and quality assessment of mycelia of three varieties of King Bolete: Boletus edulis var. pinicolus Vitt., Boletus edulis var. piceicolus Vasilkov and Boletus edulis var. reticulatus (Schaff ex. Boud) Bat. In the biomass of mycelium for food the following physicochemical parameters were determined: contents of dry matter, soluble protein – albumins, globulins and prolamins, the rehydratation rate, and sensory and microbial quality was assessed.


INTRODUCTION
Fungi have been a source of food for humans for several thousand years.As a result of deforestation, especially at intensive mushroom harvesting, resources of wild mushrooms in natural habitats have been constantly decreasing.
In recent years, applying the advances in biochemical engineering and biotechnology, studies have been initiated on obtaining under controlled conditions of mycelia of large-fruited mushrooms, which could be used as substitutes of fruiting bodies of mushrooms in foodstuffs or as sources of active substances used in medicine ( -� yb e r g e n , S c h e f f e r s 1972; K o h l m ü n z e r 1992; B e a u s é j o u r 1999; B i l a y et al. 2000; L a w 2001).In this way it would be possible to limit the harvesting of mushrooms from natural habitats.�stablishing conditions of mycelium culture in laboratories makes it possible to carry out studies in the field of biology, medicine and food science on all fungus species, irrespective of their seasonal occurrence (� y b e r g e n , S c h e f f e r s 1972; � r z y b e k 1992; K o h l m ü n z e r 1992; � a l l , Wa n g 199�; Wa s s � r z y b e k 1992; K o h l m ü n z e r 1992; � a l l , Wa n g 199�; Wa s s � a l l , Wa n g 199�; Wa s se r , We i s 1999; Ya n g et al. 2 0 0 2 ; Wo ź n i a k et al. 2003 a , b ).Such investigations were initiated in the second half of the 20 th century in the United States by �umbfeld, where at present biomass of morel is sold as flavour substances of this mushroom species (K o p i ń s k i , Ro s z a k 19�7; K o p i ń s k i 19�9; M a e k a w a , I n t a b o n 2002).

W. Woźniak
Such dried biomass for years has been competing on the American market with dried mushrooms imported from �urope (I l c z u k 19�5; O h t a , Fu j i w a r a 2003).
Production of mycelium biomass of wild mushrooms is an important issue also due to its potential application when new forests are established (K o p i ń s k i 19��; � a l l , Wa n g 199�; Ry m k i e w i c z 199�; � a l l et al. 2003).In case of some fungi when mycelia are obtained under conditions of controlled production of submerged cultures, they may be cultivated, as it is the case e.g. with the cultivation of white truffle in New Zealand (Ve l l i n g a 2003).

MAT�RIALS AND M�T�ODS
The adopted objective of the study was to obtain mycelium for food production purposes from selected species of wild mushrooms characterized by large fructifications, attractive for consumers.In this study the following investigations were conducted: 1. Obtaining matrix mycelium from fruiting bodies of such mushrooms as: Boletus edulis var.pinicola Vitt., King Bolete 'pine' Boletus edulis var.piceicola Vasilkov, King Bolete 'spruce' Boletus edulis var.reticulatus (Schaeff.ex Boud.)Bat, King Bolete 'reticulated' 2. Production of mycelium for food production purposes under laboratory conditions using submerged culture.
3. Physicochemical, sensory and microbial quality assessment of mycelium for food production purposes.

The characTerisTic of experimenTal maTerial
Raw material for the production of matrix mycelium were wild mushroom fructifications growing in their natural habitats.King Bolete Boletus edulis Bull.: Fr. of three varieties were collected in the Milickie forests near Łazy Wielkie and in the Tucholskie forests near Brusy.Fruiting bodies of mushrooms, from which tissue matrix mycelium was collected, in terms of their quality and morphological characters could be classified as extra quality class according to the Polish Standard PN-76R-7�505 for fresh mushrooms.Fructifications were young, healthy and all the mushrooms exhibited characters characteristic of a given species and variety (Wo ź n i a k , Wą s o w i c z 19�1).Pileus surfaces were not damp, they were properly coloured.Mushrooms had whitish hymenophores with immature spores.All the mushrooms had a typical aroma.The flesh at intersection was whitish, firm and fleshy (� r ű n e r t , � r ű n e r t 19�4; L a e s s ø e , C o n t e 1997).
Matrix mycelium obtained from these mushrooms was used a raw material in the production of mycelium for food production purposes.The mycelium was produced and its quality was assessed in the years 199�-2004.meThods Mycelium production.�rowth of mycelium on commercial agar solidified media.Matrix mycelium was obtained using tissue culture from wild growing mushrooms.Reproduction of mycelium for food production purposes was produced on potato and wheat media.In case of experimental mycelia mycelium growth increments were established on Petri dishes.During mycelium growth the appearance of the mycelium was assessed descriptively in sensory analysis.
Mycelium proliferation using submerged liquid cultures.Proliferation was conducted in sterile liquid media, each time in 16 replications.Media were spawned with reproduction mycelium.After spawning flasks were sealed with sterile cotton wool stoppers and placed in a 35� S Shaker (Fig. 1).Prolification parameters were established experimentally (Wo ź n i a k 2002; Wo ź n i a k , K o r z e n i e w s k a 2003).Constant p� and extract were maintained all that time in the medium.�rowth dynamics was determined as a percentage increment of the liquid volume in reaction flasks taken up by the mycelium.The structure of mycelial filaments, the shape and colour of the mycelium were assessed visually and described every day, starting from the 2 nd day after spawning.
Tissue mycelia obtained using the traditional method were stored on Petri dishes, sterile slants and sterile wheat grain (Fig. 2).Mycelia obtained in submerged cultures after the completion of proliferation were drained on the �4 filter, thoroughly washed with water and carefully filtered and surface dried.Mycelia for food were dried in a laboratory desiccator with enforced air circulation at 35°C and force dried at 55°C.The obtained dried mushrooms were packed in polyehtylene bags and next into glass jars and stored at 20-22°C, relative humidity of 35% in the dark (Fig. 3).
Methods of quality appraisal of mycelium for food.In the biomass of mycelium for food were determined: physicochemical parameters, sensory and microbial quality was assessed.
-Determination of dry matter content using the scaling method (C h a r ł a m p o w i c z 1966).
-Determination of contents of soluble protein compounds (in � 2 O, in 0.1 M NaCl, in 15% NaO�) using the colorimetry method (M a j b a u m -K a t z e n e l l e nb o g e n , M o c h n a c k i 196�; Wo ź n i a k 19�3).
-�ot determination of the rehydration coefficient in dried mycelium using the Loesecke method (C h a r ł a m p o w i c z 1966).
-Determination of microbial purity (total microbial counts, levels of coliform bacteria, E. coli counts, contents of yeasts, moulds, the presence of coagulase-positive staphylococci) using the platelet and test methods [PN-93 A-�6034/02; PN-90 A-75052/04; PN-90 A-75052/05; PN-90 A-75052/0�; PN-�N-ISO 6���-2;] -Determination of aromatic compounds using the SPM� method, gas chroma-Determination of aromatic compounds using the SPM� method, gas chroma-Determination of aromatic compounds using the SPM� method, gas chromatography, with the identification of isolated compounds using mass spectrophotometry (T h o m a s 1973; Wą s o w i c z , K a m i ń s k i 1974).
-Sensory analyses of mycelia, using a 5-point scale according to Tilgner (B a r y ł k o -P i k i e l n a 1975).
-Obtained results of conducted physico-chemical and sensory analyses, as well as mycelium growth dynamics were interpreted statistically.The STAT 6 by StatSoft software was used for the calculations.To illustrate mycelium growth dynamics the equation of the constant mycelium growth was applied : Physico-chemical analyses were conducted immediately after production, after washing with distilled water and surface drying of mycelium.The analysis of aroma was conducted for fruiting bodies of fresh mushrooms, from which matrix mycelium was obtained.For the mycelium aroma was assessed between day 5 and day 10 of proliferation depending on the variety of the analyzed mushrooms.Sensory analyses were performed for fresh mycelium, dried mycelium and mycelium after rehydration.The appaearance (colour and consistency), taste and aroma were assessed.
For dried and ground mycelium for food the analysis of microbial purity was conducted in the range of analyses required for dried mushrooms.
The production of mycelium for food was completed at the moment of the phase of growth inhibition in reaction chambers.Mycelia of all varieties grew faster on potato medium.Proliferation of matrix mycelium lasted approx.64 days for the "spruce" variety, 74 days for the "pine" variety and 76 days for the "reticulated" variety.The production of biomass in case of mycelium for food lasted much shorter and thus it was 12 days for "pine" variety on potato medium and 14 days on wheat medium, for the "reticulated" variety it was � days on potato medium and 10 days on wheat medium.Mycelium, irrespective of the medium type, grew unformly in the form of hyphae, which constituted branching threads (Tabs 1-2, Figs 4-9).
Mycelia of King Bolete in comparison to fruiting bodies had comparable contents of dry matter.Depending on the medium used for proliferation, in mycelia obtained from potato and wheat media the solids content for King Bolete ranged fractions for mycelia of the same variety differed depending on the medium used for proliferation.In mycelia grown on potato medium the content of soluble protein was slightly higher than in mycelia obtained from wheat medium.The differences amounted to 2.4% for 'spruce' King Bolete, 2.�% for 'pine' King Bolete and 4.3% for 'reticulated' King Bolete.Contents of albumins ranged from 52% to 63% soluble protein contents, while those of globulins from 22.7% to 36% and prolamins from �.3% to 15.6%, respectively (Tabs 3-5).
The hot determination of the rehydration ratio was conducted for 20 minut.The coefficient was high and amounted to approx.6 for 'spruce' and 'pine' King Bo- amounted in the fruiting body of 'spruce' and 'pine' King Bolete approx.99% and in the 'reticulated' variety 72% total volatile compounds.In mycelia of these species it was 40% for 'pine" King Bolete, 29% for 'spruce' variety and �% for 'reticulated" variety, respectively (Tab.�).

CONCLUSIONS
Problems investigated in this study concern the production of high quality mycelium of King Bolete of three varieties: 'pine', 'spruce' and 'reticulated'.
In the conducted investigations it was found that: 1. Composition of the medium applied for proliferation has a significant effect on growth dynamics of mycelium and on its quality.
2. Physico-chemical indexes (protein contents and dry matter, aromatic volatile substances), sensory attributes (appearance, taste and aroma) and microbial indexes indicate high quality of the produced mycelia.
in which k P� is the mycelium growth constant, r -function of trend, ∂ [Ø] -change in the thallus area in mm, ∂ t. -change in the time of mycelium growth increment in days (M c � w a n 1991; B r a n d t 2002).R�SULTS Mycelium for food was obtained from the second reproduction of matrix mycelium, on potato and wheat media.These media in earlier studies gave good production yields and were asessed sensorily as the best (Wo ź n i a k et al. 2000; Wo ź n i a k 2002; Wo ź n i a k et al. 2002; Wo ź n i a k et al. 2003a, b; Wo ź n i a k , K o r z e n i e w s k a 2003; Wo ź n i a k et al. 2001; Wo ź n i a k et al. 2004; K o r z e n i e w s k a , Wo ź n i a k 2005).The production of mycelium for food was completed at the moment of the phase of growth inhibition in reaction chambers.