Recently, the interest in mushroom consumption has been growing, since their taste and low calorific value are appreciated, but also due to their nutritional value. In determining the usefulness of mushrooms in the human diet, it is important to consider the conditions of their occurrence to perform the assessment of bioaccumulation of minerals. The aim of the study was: (a) to determine the content of selected macronutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg, Na) in fruiting bodies of Boletus edulis, Imleria badia, Leccinum scabrum and the soils, (b) to determine their bioaccumulation potential taking into account the habitat conditions, and (c) an attempt to estimate their role in covering the requirement for macronutrients of the human organism. The research material was obtained in the NW of Poland: Uznam and Wolin, the Drawa Plain and the Ińsko Lakeland. In the soil, we determined the content of organic matter, pH, salinity and the content of absorbable and general forms of macronutrients. The content of macronutrients in mushrooms was also determined. Chemical analyses were performed using the generally accepted test methods. The study showed that in NW Poland, B. edulis grew on the acidic soils of Arenosols, and I. badia and L. scabrum grew on Podzols. The uptake of K, Mg and Ca by the tested mushrooms was positively, and P and Na negatively correlated with the content of these elements in the soil. The acidity of the soil affected the uptake of K and Mg by mushrooms. There was no effect of the amount of organic matter in the soil noticed on the content of macronutrients (except sodium) in mushrooms. Among the studied macronutrients, none of the mushrooms accumulated Ca, while P and K were generally accumulated in the highest amounts, regardless of the species. Each of the other elements was usually accumulated at a similar level in the fruiting bodies of the species we studied. The exception was I. badia, which accumulated higher amounts of Mg compared to B. edulis and L. scabrum. Mushrooms can enrich the diet with some macronutrients, especially in P and K.

The aim of the study was to determine the contents of microelements in Boletus edulis, Imleria badia and Leccinum scabrum, taking into account the soil conditions in selected forest areas of Northwest Poland and the bioaccumulation capacity of these fungi and their role in the human diet. Se, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe contents were determined in the soil (organic and mineral layers) and mushrooms. The study showed that the soils on which fruiting bodies grew did not differ significantly in the contents of these trace elements. The concentrations of microelements in mushrooms in NW Poland were mostly at the lower range of the contents reported for these species in other regions of Poland and Europe. The uptake of microelements by the studied mushrooms was influenced by soil reaction, organic matter content, and bioavailable and total forms of the elements. B. edulis contained significantly more Se than other mushroom species and, together with I. badia, was much more abundant in Cu and Zn than L. scabrum. Fruiting bodies bioaccumulated Se (most strongly by B. edulis; BCF = 120.6), Cu and Zn. The contents of microelements in the tested mushrooms may be supplementary elements in the human diet.

Urban vegetation is generally exposed to high levels of air pollution in airborne particles, with the greatest exposure in the EU being seen in Poland. With the continuing growth of urban populations, there is a need to confirm whether honey produced from urban areas is of similar high quality to that from rural areas. A total of 27 honey samples were collected from urban and rural apiaries and tested for the concentrations of 19 elements by ICP-OES. The results were compared with data on honey produced in old and new EU countries (metadata). Our evaluation used a novel approach to determine threshold values in the identification of the bioproduct contamination index. The analysed urban honey samples demonstrated higher concentrations of K, Sr, Ba, Ni, and Co, and lower levels of Mn and B than rural honey samples. Contamination by PM10 particles and the toxic elements contained in them proved to be a poor predictor of the content of these elements in honey, in contrast to the effect of atmospheric pollution measured during firework shows, which demonstrated higher concentrations of Ba, Pb, Ca, Cu, and Mg. The non-carcinogenic risk assessment indicated that the analysed honey samples are of good quality and are comparable or of even better quality than honey products from other EU countries.

Wild edible mushrooms are increasingly recognised for their nutritional and therapeutic potential, owing to their richness in bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties. This study assessed the chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and bioaccumulation of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Ni) in Boletus edulis, Imleria badia, and Leccinum scabrum collected from two forested regions of north-western Poland differing in anthropogenic influence and soil characteristics. The analysis encompassed structural polysaccharides (β- and α-glucans, chitin), carotenoids, L-ascorbic acid, phenolic and organic acids. B. edulis exhibited the highest β-glucan and lycopene contents, but also the greatest cadmium accumulation. I. badia was distinguished by elevated ascorbic and citric acid levels and the strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity, while L. scabrum showed the highest ABTS and FRAP antioxidant capacities and accumulated quinic acid and catechin. Principal component analysis indicated strong correlations between antioxidant activity and phenolic acids, while cadmium levels were inversely associated with antioxidant potential and positively correlated with chitin. Although all metal concentrations remained within EU food safety limits, B. edulis showed consistent cadmium bioaccumulation. From a practical perspective, the results highlight the importance of species selection and sourcing location when considering wild mushrooms for consumption or processing, particularly in the context of nutritional value and contaminant load. Importantly, regular or excessive consumption of B. edulis may result in exceeding the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) levels for cadmium and nickel, which warrants particular attention from a food safety perspective. These findings underscore the influence of species-specific traits and environmental conditions on mushroom biochemical profiles and support their potential as functional foods, provided that metal contents are adequately monitored.