Selected nutrients in portuguese wild mushrooms analysed by gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography

Wild edible mushrooms have been used as food and food flavouring material in soups and sauces for centuries, due to their unique and delicate flavour and they have also been traditionally eaten seasonally by specific groups of people (local people, enthusiasts and gourmets) providing a source of minerals and vitamins when fresh vegetables were not available. Wild edible mushrooms are rich in trace minerals, and have high water, protein, fibre, and carbohydrate contents, and low fat/energy levels making them an excellent food for use in low caloric diets. Our research group h as been interested in l he nutritional characterization of wild mushrooms, and in the last years we studied sixteen different mushroom species from the Northeast of Portugal, one o! the European regions with higher wild mushrooms diversity Nevertheless, we intend to go on in the study of this bio logical matrix, documenting the nutritional composition of all these unique species, and making the information available for a better management and conservation of this natural resource and related habitats.