a b s t r a c t
Mushrooms have unique sensory properties and nutritional values as well as health benefits due to their
bioactive compounds, especially beta-glucans. Well-known edible and medicinal mushroom species as
well as uncommon or unknown species representing interesting sources of bioactive beta-glucans have
been widely studied. Commercially cultivated and wild growing mushrooms were analysed for their
beta-glucan contents. Enzymatic determinations of all glucans, alpha-glucans and beta-glucans in 39
mushrooms species were performed, leading to very remarkable results. Many wild growing species present
high beta-glucan contents, especially Bracket fungi. The well-known cultivated species Agaricus bisporus,
Lentinula edodes and Cantharellus cibarius as well as most screened wild growing species show
higher glucan contents in their stipes than caps.