NMR-Based Metabolomics Analysis of Metabolite Profiles in Two Species of Boletes Subjected to Different Drying Methods

<b>Background:</b> Wild boletes are famous for their exceptional flavor and nutritional value. Due to their susceptibility to decay and spoilage, dry storage is a common method for processing and preservation. However, few studies have reported on the alterations of metabolites of boletes resulting from different drying methods. This paper aims to investigate the metabolic changes in two species of boletes, <i>Butyriboletus roseoflavus</i> and <i>Lanmaoa asiatica</i>, subjected to three drying methods: hot-air drying, microwave drying, and freeze drying. <b>Method and Result:</b> Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics was utilized for multivariate data analysis. In total, 27 metabolites were identified from the two species of boletes, including amino acids such as glutamate and leucine, sugars like glucose and sucrose, and alkaloids like choline. Among these, 17 metabolites were classified as differential metabolites, comprising 12 amino acids, 4 sugars, and 1 alkaloid. Differential metabolites were quantified by quantitative NMR (qNMR), and these metabolites were subsequently analyzed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database for pathway enrichment analysis. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that the different drying methods resulted in significantly distinct metabolic pathways for these differential metabolites, resulting in the enrichment of amino acid metabolism and starch and sucrose metabolism pathways. <b>Conclusions:</b> This metabolomics study elucidates the differences in metabolite composition and abundance between the two species of boletes, providing a theoretical foundation for selecting appropriate drying methods for their preservation.