Volatile components of fresh Pleurotus ostreatus and Termitomyces shimperi from Cameroon

International audienceOdorous wild Pleurotus ostreatus and Termitomyces shimperi from Cameroon are highly appreciated for both their culinary value and their good taste. The edible mushrooms were investigated for volatile constituents by GC-MS using organic solvent extraction. Twenty-eight and 24 volatile components were identified by solvent method for P. ostreatus and T. shimperi, respectively, and biosynthesized from the lipidic, shikimic and terpenic pathways. The major odorous compounds identified in fresh P. ostreatus organic extract were C8 components (mushroom odors) as octen-3-ol (59.3%), octen-3-one, octan-3-one, 3-octanol, n-octanal, (E)-2-octenal and n-octanol. Benzaldehyde (almond odor), benzyl alcohol (sweet-spicy odor) and phenylethanol (rose odor) as well as monoterpe-nes, i.e., linalool and linalool oxide detected from the Common Oyster Mushroom may also contribute to its pleasant flavour. Many aliphatic compounds dominate the volatile content of fresh T. shimperi, i.e., C6 derivatives (hexan-2-one, hexan-3-ol, hexanal, hexan-2-ol), C7 derivative (hept-2-enol) and C8 derivatives (octen-3-ol, 1-octen-3-one, octan-3-one, (E)-2-octenal). Within the aromatic components, phenylethanol was the main component identified from T. shimperi. Most of the volatiles identified from P. ostreatus and T. shimperi are widely used as aroma components in flavor industry due to their strong pleasant flavours