Contents of sugars, free amino acids and free 5′-nucleotides in mushrooms, Agaricus bisporus, during post-harvest storage

Common mushrooms, Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach, were stored at 12 degrees C for 12 days and composition changes were examined during post-harvest storage. The contents of total sugars, mannitol and fructose decreased steadily during storage, whereas the content of other reducing sugars, excluding fructose, remained constant. The content of total free amino acids increased from 77.92 at day 0 to 140.57 g kg(-1) at day 6, and then slightly increased to 151.65 g kg(-1) at day 12. The contents of nine amino acids increased over time, of these glutamic acid was the most significant. The content of monosodium glutamate-like components increased from 22.67 at day 0 to 47.12 g kg(-1) at day 12. However, the contents of sweet and bitter components increased comparably from 24.08 and 24.17 at day 0 to 47.15 and 50.75 g kg(-1) at day 12, respectively. Total 5'-nucleotide content peaked at day 3. The contents of three flavour 5-nucleotides were high at days 3 and 6. (C) 1999 Society of Chemical Industry.