Exploring the Nutritional Value and Bioactive Potential of Craterellus cornucopioides (L.) Pers. as a Functional Food Source

This study aimed to explore the phytochemical variability, nutrient composition, and bioactive profile of the edible mushroom species <i>Craterellus cornucopioides</i> with specimens originating from Romanian flora. Its nutritional profile, including its proximate composition and energy value, was determined using standardized analytical methods. The mean contents of total polyphenols and caffeic acid derivatives, quantified by spectrophotometric assay, were established. HPLC-DAD-ESI⁺ analysis enabled the identification and quantification of individual phenolic constituents. Its antioxidant potential was systematically assessed using the following in vitro complementary assays: FRAP, ABTS, CUPRAC, DPPH, and ORAC. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated in vitro against MSSA, MRSA, <i>Bacillus cereus</i>, <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i>, <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>, <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, and <i>Candida albicans</i> using well diffusion, broth microdilution, and anti-biofilm assays. The high amounts of polyphenols, including gentisic acid and protocatechuic acid, underlined a biologically relevant phytochemical composition. In fact, all tested extracts and, in particular, CE3 extract consistently displayed strong antioxidant properties, as indicated by five complementary in vitro tests (FRAP, ABTS, CUPRAC, DPPH, and ORAC). In addition, CE1-4 extracts expressed in vitro antimicrobial potential towards all tested organisms except for <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa.</i> Our results underscore <i>C. cornucopioides</i>' nutritional, antioxidant, and antimicrobial potential, thus supporting its classification as an edible but under-explored mushroom species with promising applications in both the food and pharmaceutical industries.