Enhancement of the Alta Valmarecchia area through the valorisation of edible mushrooms and ancient grains

This Ph.D. project is part of a funded initiative supported by the Municipality of Novafeltria, in collaboration with Unione dei Comuni della Valmarecchia and Agenzia per la Coesione Territoriale (MUR). The research aimed to enhance and valorize local agricultural biodiversity within a circular bioeconomy framework, promoting sustainability, innovation, and regional economic revitalization. The study focused on two key agricultural matrices from Alta Valmarecchia: ancient grains and edible mushrooms, selected for their cultural relevance and promising bioactive profiles. Ancient wheat flours (wholemeal and refined) were analyzed to assess nutritional and functional properties in comparison with modern commercial varieties. Protein content, determined through Lowry and Kjeldahl methods, was higher in ancient flours. Amino acid profiling by GC-MS revealed comparable essential and non-essential amino acid compositions, confirming their high nutritional quality. Polyphenols were extracted using optimized microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), showing significant antioxidant capacity and efficient recovery of bioactive compounds. Edible mushrooms, both cultivated and wild, were investigated for phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Hericium erinaceus was compared with Agaricus bisporus and wild species including Leccinum scabrum and Leccinum versipelle. MAE proved more efficient than ultrasound-assisted extraction. Although A. bisporus showed higher extraction yields, Leccinum species exhibited greater phenolic diversity and antioxidant potential. A food-grade extract of H. erinaceus was further characterized by UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS and evaluated ex vivo using mouse hippocampal slices, demonstrating neuroprotective effects under hyperexcitable conditions. A pilot clinical trial (n=10) assessed acute cognitive and cardiovascular effects in healthy adults following a 2 g dose. Blood pressure remained stable. Cognitive results were mixed, with no detrimental cardiovascular impact and selective modulation of attentional performance. Overall, the project highlights ancient grains and Valmarecchia mushrooms as valuable sources of bioactive compounds with nutritional and neuroprotective potential, supporting sustainable innovation and regional biodiversity valorization.