Quantitative determination of the free amino acids and their derivatives in the common edible mushroom, Agaricus bisporus.

Nitrogen in the ethanol extract of the fruiting bodies of the common edible mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, accounted for about 60% of the total nitrogen of the fruiting bodies, and about 70% of the ethanol-extractable nitrogen was attributable to the free amino acids and their derivatives. Identification and quantitative determination of the free amino acids and their derivatives contained in this fraction were performed after group separation. Of the 44 ninhydrin-positive compounds detected, alanine, glutamic acid, proline and arginine were the most predominant protein amino acids occurring in the free form, and ornithine, N-(gamma-L-glutamyl)-4-hydroxyaniline and gamma-aminobutyric acid were the most plentiful non-protein amino acids. An analytical method of the aromatic compounds characteristic of the mushroom is also described.