Abstract:Edible mushrooms are large fungi with both medicinal and food values, rich in polysaccharides, proteins, vitamins, trace elements, and other nutrients, of which edible mushroom polysaccharides have attracted increasing attention from functional food and pharmaceutical researchers due to their anti-tumour, hypoglycaemic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory and other properties. Selenium-polysaccharide complexes, formed by combining selenium with polysaccharides not only retained the original structure and functional properties of the polysaccharides but also further enhanced their biological activities through the introduction of selenium, suggesting broader application prospects. This paper systematically reviews the isolation and purification methods, structural characteristics, and biological activities of selenopolysaccharides from edible mushrooms. Additionally, it examines their potential applications in functional foods and outlines prospects for developing selenopolysaccharides. The paper identifies current research gaps and provides a theoretical foundation for elucidating the structure–activity relationships and underlying mechanisms. It also provides new ideas for the innovative research and development of their functional products. It is hoped that this research will provide a theoretical basis for understanding the conformational relationship and bioactivity mechanism of selenopolysaccharides in edible mushrooms. Furthermore, we aim to provide novel perspectives for the development of selenium-enriched functional products.
