Safety investigation of the moisturizing medium prepared using the Chinese oak mushroom (Lentinula edodes) based on the presence of residual pesticides, heavy metals, and radioactive materials
In order to provide basic data for preparing management standards and to verify the safety of the Chinese oak mushroom-derived moisturizing medium—which is synthesized and imported in large quantities—the presence of 321 residual pesticides, 7 heavy metals, and 3 radioactive materials was analyzed in the moisturizer samples. Examination of residual pesticides in seven moisturizing medium samples prepared using the Chinese oak mushroom and three domestic sawdust samples used for mushroom culture revealed the presence of cypermethrin and iprodione in three moisturizer samples, but the contents of these pesticides were below the standard limits. Zn was detected in ten samples, Cu was detected in nine samples, and Ni was detected in four samples, but their contents were below the standard limits. Pb, Cd, Cr, and Hg were not detected in any sample. No radioactive materials were detected in the samples. In addition, fruiting bodies of the oak mushroom were observed in each medium. Examination did not reveal the presence of any residual pesticides or harmful compounds. In this study, the use of the moisturizing medium prepared using the Chinese oak mushroom was found to be safe. As residual pesticides, heavy metals, and radioactivity—even in trace amounts—remain concentrated in the human body, continuous verification of the safety of hazardous substances and pollutants during the systematic cultivation and management of these mushrooms is required.