Stable Carbon Isotope Composition of the Lipids in Natural Ophiocordyceps sinensis from Major Habitats in China and Its Substitutes.

is one rare medicinal fungus produced in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Its quality and price varies hugely with different habitat, and its numerous substitutes have sprung up in functional food markets. This paper aims to discriminate the geographic origin of wild and its substitutes via element analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The δC values of major fatty acids in the lipids of are characterized unanimously by the variation relation C < C ≈ C < C, while their fluctuation intervals are notably different between those of neutral and polar lipids. The comparative analysis of the δC ratios of major fatty acids in lipids of suggests that the δC patterns may be sensitive potential indicators to discriminate its geographical origin. The δC values of individual major fatty acids of lipids from the cultivated stromata of (SCM), the fermented mycelia of (FM) and (FM) range from -31.2‰ to -29.7‰, -16.9‰ to -14.3‰, and -26.5‰ to -23.9‰, respectively. Their δC pattern of individual major fatty acids may be used as a potential indicator to discriminate the products of natural and its substitutes.