LENTINULA EDODES: A POSSIBLE TOOL IN THE CHALLENGE AGAINST MYCOTOXINS.

Lentinula edodes (Berk) Pegler is an edible mushroom widely cultivated in the Asian countries. This basidiomycete is also known for the production of different substances, mainly b-glucans, with healing effects on animals and humans. Some of these substances can also be released into the culture media. The effects of lyophilised L. edodes filtrates on conidia germination of different isolates of Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp., and the production of some mycotoxins like aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2), ochratoxin A, fumonisins (B1, B2) and zearalenone were tested. The addition of lyophilised filtrates showed some inhibiting effect on conidia germination (10-40%) of all toxigenic strains assayed. The presence of lyophilised filtrates severely affected mycotoxin production. The inhibition (40 to 90%) was in relation both to the toxigenic strain examined and the L. edodes isolate used. The filtrates of a same L. edodes isolate grown on different media showed similar aflatoxin inhibiting capacity, indicating that the toxin control is due to some strain-dependent metabolic product. Furthermore the isolate CF 42 resulted the most efficient in the control of all mycotoxins assayed. Antioxidant activity was detected, using the crocin test, in all filtrates. The results obtained indicate that L. edodes produces substance/ s able to control the synthesis of different mycotoxins probably by a similar mechanism. Considering the healing properties and low citotoxicity of L. edodes metabolites and their capacity to control several toxins this mushroom could represent an important tool in the challenge against mycotoxins especially in animal feed industry.