Effects of solid-state fermentation with three higher fungi on the total phenol contents and antioxidant properties of diverse cereal grains

Abstract

Three culinary-medicinal fungi and mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus AS2796, Helvella lacunosa X1 and Fomitiporia yanbeiensis S.Guo & L.Zhou) were individually inoculated into different cereal grains (wheat, rice, oat, corn, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, soybean, pea and sorghum) and the antioxidant properties of fungus-fermented products after solid-state fermentation (SSF) (0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days; 25°C) were studied.The results showed that the total phenol contents (TPCs) of the fermented cereals varied with fermentation time and the starter organisms. According to the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, reducing power, ferrous ion chelating ability and superoxide anion radical scavenging ability of ethanolic extracts from the fungus-fermented products (35 days), it was shown that the antioxidant properties of all the products were significantly stronger than uninoculated grains. It revealed that solid-state fermentation (SSF) on cereal grains by dietary fungi is a biotechnological strategy, which may enhance the antioxidant properties of the substrate. The three medicinal mushroom and fungi-fermented products were relatively effective in the antioxidant properties assayed and might be potential antioxidants for application in food products.