Comparative Proximate And Qualitative Phytochemical Evaluation Of Three Species Of Oyster Mushrooms Cultivated In Nigeria

AU Onyechi1 and MC Afieroho1,2

1 Department of Home Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka,
2 Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu

Corresponding authors email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Background: Edible mushrooms such as Pleurotus tuber regium fruiting body (PTF), Pleurotuspulmonarius (PP) and Pleutotusostreatus (PO) are valued the world over for their food and medicinal uses.

Objective: The study examined the nutrient composition, and qualitative phytochemical evaluation of three commonly cultivated species of oyster mushrooms: Pleurotus tuber regium fruiting body (PTF), Pleurotuspulmonarius (PP) and Pleutotusostreatus (PO).

Materials and Method: The mushroom was sorted, destalked, washed, dried in a hot air oven at 55oC – 60oC for 24 hours and ground into mushroom flour with milling machine and sieved (0.25mm) (1). Flour was packaged in air tight container and kept in refrigerator prior to analysis. The proximate and phytochemical analysis of three selected edible mushrooms (Pleurotus tuber regium fruiting body(PTF), Pleurotuspulmonarius (PP) and Pleurotusostreatus(PO) ) flour per 100g were done. The data collected was statistically analyzed using means, standard deviations, analyses of variance (ANOVA) at p≤0.05 and Duncans new multiple range test.

Result: The result of the nutrient analysis of the three selected cultivated edible mushrooms per 100gram showed that Pleurotus tuber regium fruiting body(PTF) had the highest crude fibre (16.38±0.09), ash (9.78±0.19) and moisture (9.56±0.51) content. Pleutotusostreatus (PO) had the highest carbohydrate (63.58±0.85) and Fat (1.72±0.19) content, while Pleurotuspulmonarius (PP) had the highest protein (11.27±0.44) content. The phytochemical screening of the three (3) mushrooms revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides and steroids while flavonoids and tannins were not detected in the mushroom studied.

Conclusion: The three selected cultivated edible mushrooms PTF, PP and PO studied per 100gram showed that they are good sources of nutrients.