Abstract:An in vitro digestion model was constructed to explore the digestion of Morchella esculenta after cooking with different methods (boiling, baking, and steaming) and in terms of particle size (coarse powder and ultrafine powder). The microscopic morphology of digested Morchella esculenta powder was compared, and the contents of reducing sugars, proteins, free amino acids, and total phenolics in gastric and intestinal digestive fluids, as well as the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging capacity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2-azinobis- (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfphonate) (ABTS) cation radical scavenging capacity were simulated. Following in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, baking treatment yielded the highest dissolution rate (followed by steaming then boiling) for reducing sugars, protein, and total phenolic contents at 62.87%, 58.58%, and four times higher than boiled samples, respectively. The mean free amino acids dissolution rate of the boiled samples was 40.40 mg/g and was higher than that of the baked and steamed samples by 18.77% and 19.81%, respectively. Superfine grinding did not cause a significant increase (P<0.05) in the dissolution rates of reducing sugar and total phenolics, whereas it caused a significant decrease in the dissolution rates of protein and free amino acids (P<0.05). No significant difference in DPPH values was observed, but the FRAP and ABTS values varied significantly among the three cooking methods. The baking method yielded the highest values, followed by the steaming and boiling methods. Superfine grinding did not cause a significant increase in the antioxidant activity also. This study provides a scientific framework for the selection of appropriate cooking methods for Morchella esculenta, both for industrial or household purposes.