Comparative Nutritional Analysis of Three Edible Mushrooms

Background and Objective: Edible mushrooms make a remarkable addition to the daily diet of some families in Africa. The high nutritional, medicinal, and commercial values of mushrooms make it to be of great importance in some parts of Africa. This study was carried out to compare the nutritional components of Pleurotus plumonarius (Oyster), Ganoderma lucidum, and Pleurotus tuber-regium (Osu) mushroom. Materials and Methods: Oyster mushroom, Ganoderma, and Osu samples were collected from Eke Awka Market, Awka, Anambra State. These samples were tested for proximate and minerals using different standard methods. The proximate parameters tested include moisture, ash, fiber, protein, and fat, while minerals tested include magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iron. Data collected were analyzed and subjected to one way analysis of variance, while the treatment means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range test at p<0.05. Results: Results of the proximate analysis revealed that P. plumonarius (Oyster) had the highest contents of all the parameters tested, except moisture content and carbohydrates. Ganoderma lucidum and P. tuber-regium have the highest volume of moisture and carbohydrate, respectively. The mineral components of the three mushrooms were significantly different from each other, except for iron. All three mushroom samples have comparable iron levels (not significantly different from each other), with the highest value obtained in G. lucidum (3.50 mg/100 g). Conclusion: The findings from this study revealed that P. plumonarius, P. tuber-regium, and G. lucidum are rich in proximate and mineral contents, although P. plumonarius has relatively more nutritional values than P. tuber-regium and G. lucidum.