In mushrooms

Xyhtol (Fig. Ig) is found in the primrose (38) and in minor quantity in mushrooms (39). It can be obtained from glucose in 11.6% overall yield by a sequential fermentation process through D-arabinitol and D-xylulose (28). 

Isobe, M., Uyakul, D., and Goto, T. (1987). Lampteromyces bioluminescence. I. Identification of riboflavin as the light emitter in mushroom Lampteromyces japonicus. J. Biolumin. Chemilumin. 1 181-188. 

Such alkaloids can be found particularly in the Myristicaceae, Malpighiaceae, Rutaceae, Apocynaceae, Rubiaceae, Loganiaceae, and Convolvulaceae. Such compounds are also found in mushrooms from the genera Conocybe, Panaeolus, Psilocybe, and Stropharia (Agaricaceae), which where used by the Aztecs of pre-Columbian America for their psilocin. 

Grewal PS, Webber T, Batterley DA. Compatibility of Steinemema feltiae with chemicals used in mushroom production. Mush News. 1998 46 6-10. 

Mnshrooms are important in the ecosystem because they are able to biodegrade the substrate and therefore use the wastes of agricultural production [1]. Mushrooms have also been reported as therapeutic foods, useful in preventing diseases such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and cancer. These functional characteristics are mainly due to their chemical composition [2]. Heavy metal concentrations in mushroom are considerably higher than those in agricultural crop plants, vegetables and fmit. This suggests that mushrooms possess a very effective mechanism that enables them readily to take up some heavy metals from the ecosystem. 

The toxins are easily detected, after separation of the compounds from plasma and renal tissue on silica thin layers, by their fluorescence in UV light orellanine is visible as navy blue, orellinine as dark blue, and orelline as light blue (Horn et al., 1997). Beside thin-layer chromatography (TLQ, use of HPLC for the analysis of orellanine, e.g., in mushroom extracts, has also been reported. Quantitative analysis of orellanine in plasma samples, or in (rat) urine samples, was performed by extraction of orellanine on XAD-4 resin, two-dimensional TLC on cellulose, and spectrophotometric evaluation of the orelline produced on the TLC plates after UV-induced decomposition of the orellanine. 

Cucumbers and cabbage fermented by lactobacilli are popular dishes in the central and eastern Europe. Sauerkraut is frequently consumed by low-income communities, especially in winter. Surprisingly, no cases of botulism have been linked to consumption of such products. This observation may be explained based on the results of studies carried out by Braconnier et al. (2003). The authors analyzed germination of spores of C. botulinum type A and B, as well as changes in spore counts, in mushroom, broccoli, and potato purees. The addition of mixtures containing L-cysteine, L-alanine, and sodium lactate to... 

The hallucinogenic principles of magic mushrooms psilocin and psilocybin were selectively detected and quantified in mushrooms samples using HPLC ODS separation coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, reaching detection limits in the picogram range [25]. 

V(IV) is a biologically active oxidation state, acting as an electron-transfer mediator in enzymes such as amavadine, which catalyzes the formation of disulfides [65]. Amavadin is a V(IV) complex found in mushrooms of... 

CH3(CH2)4CH(0H)CH2CH3, CgHigO, M, 130.23, bp9i.6 A> 176-176.5 °C 0.8264, Up 1.4252, may occur in its optically active form. It is a colorless liquid that has a mushroomy-earthy odor and occurs in mushrooms. 3-Octanol can be obtained by hydrogenation of 3-octanone it is used in lavender compositions and for imparting mushroom-like odors. 

Uq 1.4378, may occur in the optically active form. It is found, for example, in lavender oil and is a steam-volatile component of mushrooms. l-Octen-3-ol is a liquid with an intense mushroom, forest-earthy odor that can be prepared by a Grignard reaction from vinylmagnesium bromide and hexanal. It is used in lavender compositions and in mushroom aromas. 

Vanhaelen, M., Vanhaelen, F. R. and Geeraerts, J. (1980). Occurrence in mushroom (Homobasidiomycetes) of d.v-ocla-1,5-dicn-3-ol and /nms-octa-l,5-dien-3-ol, attractant to the cheese mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acarina, Acaridae). Experientia 36 406 107. 

There is quite a body of scientific literature that discusses the changes (increases and well as decreases) of psilocybin and psilocin content in mushrooms as a function of their nutrient diet. And, under the 4-HO-DET entry, I mentioned that the inclusion of an unnatural component into the diet just might produce an unnatural alkaloidal product, with an exploitation of the natural... 

Tyrosinase catalyzes hydroxylation followed by dehydrogenation (Eq. 16-57). First identified in mushrooms, the enzyme has a widespread distribution in... 

It should be stressed that it is a prerequisite of successful flavor precursor studies that the contribution of the odorant under investigation to a food flavor or off-flavor has been established. Sometimes the structure of a precursor can be assumed on the basis of structural elements in the odorant. In such cases, additions of the respective isotope-labelled precursor to the food system is commonly used to elucidate the precursor and to clarify reaction pathways governing the formation of the odorant. This method has been frequently applied, especially, in studies on the enzymatic generation of odor-active aldehydes (e.g., (Z)-3-hexenal in tea leaves) or alcohols (e.g., l-octen-3-oI in mushrooms) [cf. reviews in 84, 85] as well as lactones [86] from unsaturated fatty acids. 

Byme, A.R., Svlejkovec, Z., Stijve, T. et al. (1995) Arsenobetaine and other arsenic species in mushrooms. Appl. Organomet. Chem., 9, 305-313. 

Some toxins in mushrooms are alkaloids that cause central nervous system effects of narcosis and convulsions. Hallucinations occur in subjects who have eaten mushrooms that contain psilocybin. The toxic alkaloid muscarine is present in some mushrooms. 

How are such diverse compounds detected and recognized to elicit the associated behavior Several steps contribute to the odor coding, such as olfactory receptor interactions and processing in mushroom bodies, but also including odor interactions with OBPs. The diversity and heterogeneity of OBPs implicates these proteins in the process of odor discrimination. 

B. M. Thomson, Analysis of psilocybin and psilocin in mushroom extracts by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography, J. Forens. Sci., 25 119 (1980). 

Certain naturally-occurring contaminants in food (e.g., afla-toxin and N-nitroso compounds), and nonnutritive constituents (e.g., hydrazines in mushrooms) are carcinogenic in animals and pose a potential risk of cancer to humans. These and other compounds thus far shown to be carcinogenic in animals have been reported to occur in the average U.S. diet in small amounts however, there is no evidence that any of these substances individually makes a major contribution to the total risk of cancer in the United States. This lack of sufficient data should not be interpreted as an indication that these or other compounds subsequently found to be carcinogenic do not present a hazard. 

Sagara, N. (2000). Symbioses between animals and fungi, in Mushroom Handbook (K. Kinugawa and M. Ogawa, Eds.). Tokyo Asakura-shoten, 284-289 (in Japanese). 

Uses fungicide/bactericide used as soil sterilant in mushroom houses and other areas also used as a silage preservative. 

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