The main chemical and biochemical constituents of nine edible mushrooms were evaluated in this study. An enzymatic method was used to determine the aand b-glucan contents, and the amino acid (AA) profiles were evaluated by RP-HPLC-DAD. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of the nutrients was evaluated. Finally, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to group the mushrooms according to their AA, glucans and chemical composition. All mushrooms evaluated can be considered as a potential and alternative source of dietary fibre (24.4-46.62%) and protein (16.47-36.96%) in a diet, with low contents of fat (1.40-2.08%). Phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper and zinc were the main minerals found in the mushrooms, whereas sodium concentration was negligible. All essential AA were detected in the mushrooms, with Pleurotus ostreatus (black oyster) representing the main source of essential amino acids among the samples. The contents of b-glucan ranged from 1.58 to 16.91 mg g À1 of dry matter among the mushrooms and Pleurotus eryngii presented the highest amount of this component. Pleurotus ostreatus (black oyster) and P. eryngii were also grouped together due to similarities in their phosphorous and arginine contents. Among the main results, it can highlight the high concentration of dietary fibre and essential amino acids of the edible mushrooms.

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The Pleurotus genus is one of most extensively studied white-rot fungi due to its exceptional ligninolytic properties. It is an edible mushroom that possesses biological effects, as it contains important bioactive molecules. It is a rich source of nutrients, particularly proteins, minerals as well as vitamins B, C and D. In basidiomycete fungi, intensive cultivations of edible mushrooms can often be affected by some bacterial, mold and virus diseases that rather frequently cause dramatic production loss. These infections are facilitated by the particular conditions under which mushroom cultivation is commonly carried out such as warm temperatures, humidity, carbon dioxide (CO) levels and presence of pests. There is not much bibliographic information related to pests of mushrooms and their substrates. The updated review presents a practical checklist of diseases and pests of the Pleurotus genus, providing useful information that may help different users.

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The yields of extraction, fatty acid and carotenoid compositions, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of organic and conventional Lycium barbarum oils and extracts were investigated. Different methods were used in the extraction: Soxhlet, maceration and Bligh & Dyer. Sample characterization was performed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopy. Soxhlet presented a higher yield for organic (4.58%) and conventional (2.83%) fruit. The Goji samples showed a high content of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) for organic (78.29-84.72%) and conventional (70.74-80.20%) fruit. The main phytochemicals identified in the samples were linoleic acid and zeaxanthin dipalmitate. The maceration method was the most efficient in the extraction of carotenoids with high antioxidant (2.23-40.94 mmolTE 100 g À1 ) and antimicrobial (3.12-200 mg mL À1 ) activities. The organic goji samples showed higher yield, UFA, carotenoids and biological activities and these results indicate that this fruit is suitable for cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food applications.

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