Phenolic profiles, antioxidant capacities and metal chelating ability of edible mushrooms commonly consumed in China

• Phenolic profiles of commonly consumed mushroom were investigated firstly.
• 43 mushrooms presented substantial antioxidant activities.
• Maitake possess the strongest metal chelating ability.
• Gallic acid were detected in most of mushrooms.
• Current findings will guide consumers and manufactures to utilize mushrooms.

Antioxidant activities of 43 commonly consumed mushrooms in China were evaluated using ABTS free radical scavenging (ABTS) assay, DPPH free radical scavenging (DPPH) assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and metal chelating ability (MCA) assay. Phenolic profiles in total phenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) of mushrooms were also determined by colorimetric methods. The contents of free phenolic acids in mushrooms were determined by HPLC. The mushroom samples exhibited diverse antioxidant activity in different assays. The highest antioxidant ability was found in porcino nero in DPPH value, mulberry yellow in FRAP value, stone ear in ABTS value, and maitake in MCA value. Total phenolic and flavonoid content determination showed that all mushrooms are rich in phenolics and flavonoids. Stone ear and pine-spike had the highest phenolic and flavonoid content. Mushrooms exhibited a positive linear correlation between TPC and ABTS antioxidant capacities at the level of 0.01. Mushrooms have different phenolic acid profiles. Gallic acids were detected with high quantity in most of the mushrooms. Other phenolic acids were detected with low content, and some of phenolic acids were not detected in mushrooms.