Abstract
The characteristic flavor compound of the Chilean edible mushroom Grifola gargal was determined and the relationship between the mycelial growth and flavor production was investigated on liquid media. The major flavor product from the fruit-bodies and the mycelia of G. gargal was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis to be benzaldehyde. The mycelia of G. gargal grew favorably in peptone-glucose-yeast extract liquid media adjusted to pH 4.5 at 20℃. Under this growth condition, the production of benzaldehyde from G. gargal significantly accumulated after the linear growth phase, and the amount did not decline during the stable stage of mycelial growth. Therefore, G. gargal could be expected not only to be a new type of edible mushroom with almond flavor, but also to be a potential producer of benzaldehyde, which is a very expensive and a popular natural aroma.
