Laura Smith
Agaritine is a naturally occurring phenylhydrazine derivative found in wild and cultivated mushrooms of the Agaricus genus. Agaricus bisporus, also known as the common button mushroom, is cultivated in over 70 countries and is one of the most popular mushroom species globally. Agaritine content varies between individual mushrooms and across species, with the highest amounts found in the cap and gills of the fruiting body and the lowest in the stem. While agaritine has been described in some studies as a potential carcinogen, the scientific validity of these claims has been challenged by other research. Available evidence suggests that agaritine consumption from cultivated A. bisporus mushrooms does not pose a toxicological risk to healthy humans.
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What You'll Learn
Agaricus bisporus mushrooms contain agaritine
Agaricus bisporus, also known as the common button mushroom, is cultivated in over 70 countries and on every continent except Antarctica. It is of particular socio-economic importance in developed countries and is the most widely cultivated form of mushroom in the USA, Europe, and parts of Australasia.
Agaritine has been described in some studies as a potential carcinogen, particularly when used in high laboratory doses. However, the scientific validity of these studies has been questioned, and other studies have found no evidence of toxicological effects from agaritine consumption in mushrooms. In fact, newer studies, animal models, and human food safety studies have concluded that agaritine consumption from Agaricus bisporus mushrooms poses no known toxicological risk to healthy humans.
It is worth noting that agaritine decomposes significantly between harvest and sale, and it has been shown to decompose readily upon cooking (up to a 90% reduction) and freezing (up to a 75% reduction). Therefore, cooking Agaricus bisporus mushrooms before consumption may contribute to the prevention of any potential agaritine-related health risks.
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Agaritine is a potential carcinogen
Agaritine is a naturally occurring phenylhydrazine derivative found in wild and cultivated mushrooms of the Agaricus species. This includes the commonly consumed white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, which is cultivated in over 70 countries worldwide. Agaricus mushrooms contain high levels of agaritine, with fresh samples ranging from 94-629 mg/kg in weight.
Agaritine has been described in some studies as a potential carcinogen, particularly when used in high laboratory doses. In vivo studies using mice have shown that agaritine can cause DNA strand breaks, contributing to its potential carcinogenic properties. Bladder implantation tests on mice have also demonstrated the carcinogenic effects of agaritine on the mouse bladder epithelium.
However, it is important to note that the scientific validity of these studies has been questioned and contradicted by other research. Feeding studies in mice that used mushrooms and mushroom extracts containing agaritine found no evidence of toxicological effects, indicating that agaritine consumption through cultivated A. bisporus mushrooms does not pose a significant health risk to healthy humans.
While the available evidence suggests that agaritine is not carcinogenic to humans in the amounts present in consumed mushrooms, further research is needed to fully understand its mechanisms of action and safe consumption levels.
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Agaritine is not destroyed by cooking
Agaritine is a naturally occurring phenylhydrazine derivative found in wild and cultivated mushrooms of the Agaricus species. This includes the commonly consumed white button mushroom, or Agaricus bisporus. Agaritine is considered a potential carcinogen, with studies in mice showing a link between the compound and cancer induction. However, the scientific validity of these findings has been questioned, and subsequent studies have failed to replicate these results in mice.
While agaritine is recognised as a carcinogen when used in high laboratory doses, there is insufficient evidence to classify it as carcinogenic to humans at the levels present in mushrooms. In fact, the available evidence suggests that agaritine consumption from cultivated A. bisporus mushrooms does not pose a toxicological risk to healthy humans.
Despite this, concerns about the potential health risks of agaritine have led some to recommend cooking mushrooms to reduce their agaritine content. Cooking methods such as boiling, baking, frying, and microwaving have all been shown to reduce agaritine levels in mushrooms to varying degrees. For example, boiling mushrooms for 5 minutes can reduce agaritine content by 20-25%, while frying with oil can reduce levels by up to 70%.
However, it is important to note that agaritine is not destroyed by cooking alone. While cooking may reduce agaritine levels, it does not completely eliminate the compound from mushrooms. For example, boiling mushrooms for 5 minutes only destroys about 20-25% of agaritine, while boiling for 2 hours can destroy about 90%. Therefore, while cooking may help to mitigate potential health risks associated with agaritine, it is not a guaranteed method of removing all traces of the compound from mushrooms.
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Agaritine is found in the highest amounts in the cap and gills of the fruiting body
Agaritine is a naturally occurring phenylhydrazine derivative found in wild and cultivated Agaricus mushroom species. Agaricus bisporus, also known as the common button mushroom, is of particular socioeconomic importance in developed countries. It is cultivated in over 70 countries and on every continent except Antarctica.
The concentration of agaritine also depends on the size of the mushroom, the time of harvest, and the method of processing and storage. Fresh cultivated mushrooms have shown agaritine levels of 100-250 mg/kg and 80-190 mg/kg for two different commercial strains. Retail processed mushroom products generally have lower agaritine levels, ranging from 6-33 mg/kg, except for one dried sliced mushroom product that contained 6520 mg/kg.
Agaritine has been described in some studies as a potential carcinogen, particularly when consumed in its uncooked form. However, the scientific validity of these studies has been challenged, and feeding studies using mushrooms and mushroom extracts have generally shown no toxicological effects of agaritine consumption in healthy humans.
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Agaritine can be extracted from mushrooms with water or methanol
Agaritine is a naturally occurring phenylhydrazine derivative present in wild and cultivated mushroom species of the genus Agaricus. Agaricus bisporus, also known as the common button mushroom, is cultivated in over 70 countries and is of particular socioeconomic importance in developed nations. Agaricus mushrooms contain agaritine, with fresh mushrooms containing 200-500 mg agaritine/kg fresh weight.
Agaritine can be extracted from Agaricus bisporus mushrooms with water or methanol. Water extracts from dried, homogenised mushrooms are kept at different temperatures for defined periods to investigate the heat stability of agaritine. After freeze-drying the homogenates, agaritine is extracted using methanol. The stability of a synthetic sample of agaritine has been tested in both water and methanol. In tap water kept in open vials, agaritine was completely degraded within 48 hours.
The Agaricus bisporus mushroom has been widely consumed as food worldwide. However, it has been reported that this mushroom contains agaritine, related phenylhydrazine derivatives, and 4-hydroxymethylbenzene diazonium ions. Agaricus mushrooms have been linked to tumour development in various tissues of experimental animals.
The mutagenic potency of Agaricus bisporus and crude agaritine extracted from mushrooms has been studied in vivo using a mutagenesis assay with lacI transgenic mice (Big Blue mice). Agaritine was detected in fresh Agaricus bisporus mushrooms at 228.2 micrograms/wet weight and in Shiitake (Agaricus edodes) mushrooms at 0.82 micrograms/g wet weight. The methanol extract of fresh Agaricus bisporus mushrooms and synthesized agaritine have been found to be carcinogenic to the mouse bladder epithelium.
To summarise, agaritine can be extracted from Agaricus bisporus mushrooms using water or methanol. The extraction method involves drying and homogenising the mushrooms, followed by freeze-drying and methanol extraction. The stability of agaritine varies between water and methanol, with complete degradation observed in tap water within 48 hours. Agaricus bisporus mushrooms are commonly consumed but have been associated with agaritine content and potential health risks. Studies in mice have investigated the mutagenic potency and carcinogenic effects of agaritine extracted from these mushrooms.
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Frequently asked questions
Agaritine is a naturally occurring compound found in mushrooms of the genus Agaricus, including the cultivated mushroom Agaricus bisporus, also known as the common button mushroom.
The agaritine content in fresh Agaricus bisporus mushrooms varies, with reported ranges of 94-629 mg/kg fresh weight and an average of 0.088%. The highest amount of agaritine is typically found in the cap and gills of the mushroom.
Yes, agaritine can be extracted from cultivated Agaricus bisporus mushrooms using water or methanol.
The available evidence suggests that agaritine from the consumption of cultivated Agaricus bisporus mushrooms does not pose a toxicological risk to healthy humans. However, agaritine has been described in some studies as a potential carcinogen when used in high laboratory doses.
The risk associated with agaritine consumption can be reduced by choosing mushroom species that do not belong to the genus Agaricus, as these have been found to be exempt from this compound. Additionally, proper storage and cooking methods can help lower agaritine content in mushrooms.
