Elemental Composition of Wild Edible Mushrooms from Serbia
The elemental composition of four wild edible mushroom species was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES): scotch bonnet (Marasmius oreades), chanterelle (Cantarellus cibarius), porcini (Boletus edulis), and peppery milk-cap (Lactarius piperatus). Mushrooms are a potassium-rich food, which was confirmed in this study. M. oreades contained the highest concentration of almost all elements, except for cadmium, potassium, phosphorus, and lead. Lead and cadmium were present but at concentrations that are not hazardous to human health. A principal component analysis loading plot for elemental composition demonstrated that 95.51 percent of the total variance was present in the first two principal components. Cluster analysis separated the elements into three statistical significant clusters.
The article discusses the results of a study published in the June 2012 issue of periodical "Current Biology" by biologist Harry Klee and colleagues about how fragrant compounds contribute to flavor in tomatoes. Topics include distinctions between ordinary supermarket tomatoes and heirloom varieties, how the volatile compound geranial enhances tomato flavor, and the results of a taste-test experiment.