A Comparative Study on Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Potential of Morchella elata and Morchella esculenta

Wild and edible lamb's ear mushrooms ( Morchella spp.) are highly nutritious and have a distinctive aroma, making them popular worldwide. In this study, the nutritional components and bioactive contents of Morchella elata and Morchella esculenta species collected from the Artvin region of the Eastern Black Sea were compared. The dry matter content was found to be approximately 18% in both species. Color analysis revealed that the Hunter L values of M. elata (16.00) were significantly darker than those of M. esculenta (41.66 ± 0.31). The crude protein content was found to be 24.85 ± 0.50 g/100 g DW in M. elata and 31.14 ± 0.50 g/100 g DW in M. esculenta . The total phenolic compound content was significantly higher in M. elata (15.76 ± 0.56 mg GAE/g DW) compared to M. esculenta (7.41 ± 0.17 mg GAE/g DW). The antioxidant capacity of the methanolic extracts was measured using the FRAP and DPPH methods, and M. elata was found to be superior in this regard. HPLC-PDA analysis results revealed that M. elata is rich in protocatechuic acid and t-cinnamic acid, while M. esculenta has higher levels of epicatechin, pinocembrin, and chrysin. The findings suggest that the dark-colored M. elata species may be more valuable than M. esculenta in terms of biological activity.