This study was conducted to investigate the changes in physicochemical characteristics and nutritional components of oak-grown Lentinula edodes extracts following fermentation with various lactic acid bacteria (LAB), aiming to evaluate their potential...
This study was conducted to investigate the changes in physicochemical characteristics and nutritional components of oak-grown Lentinula edodes extracts following fermentation with various lactic acid bacteria (LAB), aiming to evaluate their potential as functional and high-value materials for health functional foods. The control group consisted of non-fermented oak-grown L. edodes extract, and fermentation was carried out using multiple strains including Lactobacillus plantarum, Leuconostoc lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus sakei LJ011, Lactobacillus sakei LI033, Lactobacillus sakei LGy039, Pediococcus pentosaceus ALJ015, Pediococcus pentosaceus ALJ024, and Pediococcus pentosaceus ALJ026. The fermented samples were analyzed for proximate composition, free sugars, organic acids, ergosterol, vitamin D₂, β-glucan, nucleotides, and amino acid profiles. In the proximate composition analysis, L. acidophilus-fermented L. edodes (LE_LA) exhibited the highest crude protein and crude fat contents, while P. pentosaceus ALJ026-fermented L. edodes (LE_PP ALJ026) showed the highest ash and crude fiber levels. The nitrogen-free extract (NFE) content showed no significant difference after fermentation. Regarding free sugars, L. sakei LJ011-fermented L. edodes (LE_LS LJ011) showed the highest sucrose concentration, while glucose and fructose were predominant in the control. Organic acid profiling revealed six types of acids including oxalic, malic, lactic, acetic, citric, and succinic acids, with L. acidophilus and P. pentosaceus ALJ026-fermented L. edodes (LE_LA and LE_PP ALJ026) exhibiting the most diverse acid compositions. Ergosterol and vitamin D₂ contents were significantly higher in L. acidophilus-fermented L. edodes (LE_LA), at 422.63 mg% and 0.18 mg%, respectively, compared to the control. The β-glucan content also increased in all fermented samples, with the highest value (37.27%) found in L. acidophilus-fermented L. edodes (LE_LA), indicating an enhancement in immune-related functional components through fermentation. In addition, nucleotide compounds such as 5′-GMP, 5′-IMP, and 5′-XMP were markedly increased after fermentation, particularly in L. acidophilus and P. pentosaceus ALJ026-fermented L. edodes (LE_LA and LE_PP ALJ026). The analysis of total and free amino acids revealed that essential amino acids (EAA) and total amino acids (TAA) were significantly elevated after fermentation, suggesting that the proteolytic activity of LAB led to protein hydrolysis. Overall, LAB fermentation of oak-grown L. edodes notably improved the contents of bioactive compounds such as β-glucan, ergosterol, and amino acids. Among the tested strains, L. acidophilus and P. pentosaceus ALJ026-fermented L. edodes (LE_LA and LE_PP ALJ026) demonstrated the most pronounced enhancement in functional components. These findings suggest that LAB fermentation can be effectively utilized to enhance the nutritional and functional properties of oak-grown L. edodes, providing potential for its development as a high-value functional food ingredient.