RESEARCH ARTICLE FOOD SCIENCE Volume 5 | Issue 1 | April, 2014 | 56-58

RESEARCH JOURNAL

Study on nutritional evaluation and composition

of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus florida)
PARUL BORA AND ASHA KAWATRA

The present investigation was conducted to study nutritional composition of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida). Standard methods
of analysis have been employed to find out the proximate composition and other nutritional parameters of the mushroom. Pleurotus
florida was found to contain 91.80 per cent moisture, 27.92 per cent crude protein, 7.82 per cent total ash, 0.72 per cent fat, 11.87 per
cent of crude fibre and 47.80 per cent carbohydrates. Total soluble sugars, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars were 3.01, 0.38 and
2.63 per cent, respectively. Acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre content were 17.82 and 43.22 g/100g, respectively and in
vitro protein digestibility was 78.96 per cent. Oyster mushrooms also found to have good amount of total mineral content. As the
oyster mushroom found to have good nutritional composition thus can be utilized in preparation of various nutritious recipes for
improving the nutrition status of the population of the country. As it has low calorific value and very high content of protein, dietary
fibres and minerals, devoid of cholesterol, these make an ideal diet for the heart patients. With very high fibre and alkaline elements,
mushrooms are suited to those suffering from hyperacidity and constipation and it is also found to have good protein digestibility.
Key Words : Oyster mushroom, Nutritional evaluation, Dietary fibre, Proximate composition

How to cite this article : Bora, Parul and Kawatra, Asha (2014). Study on nutritional evaluation and composition of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus florida) .
Food Sci. Res. J., 5(1): 56-58.

INTRODUCTION they are cultivated entirely on waste products and convert a

wide spectrum of agriculture and industrial waste into
Mushroom is a macroscopic fungi having various shapes,
substance on which growth is supported. So mushroom
sizes, appearance and edibility. They are used as a food since
cultivation is emerging as a promising agrobased and land
time immemorial due to their taste and other health beneficial
independent enterprise, having capacity to convert
functions. Mushroom is a fleshy sponge umbrella shaped
nutritionally valueless substance into high protein food.
form belonging to kingdom Mycota. It lacks the usual green
Mushrooms are popular food and commercially available
chlorophyll and, therefore, cannot synthesize its own food
in India. The food experts have also realized and increasingly
photosynthetically, therefore, needs a substrate for their own
appreciated the food value of mushroom because of the low
absorptive nutrition. They produce enzymes that degrade
calorific value and very high content of protein (20-40% on
complex organic substances. Mushrooms are known as
dry weight basis), vitamins and minerals. These are very low
wonder vegetable as they have unique growth pattern and quick
calorie food suited to those interested in cutting down the
multiplication. The significant feature of mushrooms is that
calorie intake, like obese persons. Being low in fat, devoid of
MEMBERS OF RESEARCH FORUM
cholesterol, these make an ideal diet for the heart patients.
Author for correspondence :
PARUL BORA, Department of Foods and Nutrition, I.C. College of Home Science, With very high fibre and alkaline elements, mushrooms are
C.C.S. Haryana Agricultural University, HISAR (HARYANA) INDIA suited to those suffering from hyperacidity and constipation,
Email: [email protected]
consumption of fibre has gained importance in general health
Associate Authors' : maintenance. Mushroom can serve as one of the most
ASHA KAWATRA, Department of Foods and Nutrition, I.C. College of HomeScience,
C.C.S. Haryana Agricultural University, HISAR (HARYANA) INDIA important sources of vegetable protein combating the growing
Email: [email protected] shortage of protein especially in vegetarian population. FAO

HIND INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 PARUL BORA AND ASHA KAWATRA

has recommended it as a supplementary food item in context of analysed calorimetrically by Chen et al. (1956).
world protein shortage for the growing populations of the
developing countries. The protein content of fresh mushroom OBSERVATIONS AND ASSESSMENT
is higher than most of vegetable with the exception of green Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus florida) were analyzed
peas and pulses. Mushrooms are almost equal to meat and for proximate composition, carbohydrates, dietary fibres and
milk in nutritional value. Essential amino acids index, amino in vitro digestibility. Mean values for moisture, crude protein,
acids score and nutritional index lies intermediate between crude fat, total ash and crude fibre of oyster mushroom are
low grade vegetable and high grade meats and values are close depicted in Fig. 1.
to that of milk. Among different types of mushroom white
button mushrooms are the most popular one while fewer
researches have been done on oyster mushroom. Thus, the
study was planned to analyse the proximate composition and
nutritional content of oyster mushrooms.
Crude fat
Moisture
METHODOLOGY Total ash
The study was carried out in the Department of Foods Crude fibre
and Nutrition, I.C. College of Home Science, CCS Haryana
Crude protein
Agricultural University, Hisar. The oyster mushrooms
(Pleurotus florida) were procured from mushroom farm, Carbohydrates
Department of Plant Pathology, CCSHAU, Hisar. Fresh
mushrooms were dried in hot air oven at 50°C, powdered and Fig. 1: Proximate composition of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus
were analyzed chemically for their nutritional composition. florida) on dry weight basis
Proximate composition of mushroom i.e. moisture,
crude fat, ash, crude fibre content was determined by Moisture content in Pleurotus florida was found to be
employing the standard method of analysis (AOAC, 2000). 91.80 per cent on fresh weight basis. Crude protein, crude fat
The total nitrogen was estimated by a standard method of and ash content were 27.92, 0.72 and 7.82 g/100g on dry
AOAC (2000). The crude protein was calculated by using the weight basis, respectively. Crude fibre was found to be 11.87
conversion factor of N × 6.25 of analysis. Crude fat was g/100g. The carbohydrate content was 47.20 g/100g on dry
estimated by employing the standard method of analysis weight basis. Data on total soluble sugars, reducing sugars,
(AOAC, 2000) using the soxhlet extraction apparatus. Total non-reducing sugars ADF, NDF AND in vitro protein
soluble sugars were estimated by method of Cerning and digestibilty are presented in Table 1. The total soluble sugars
Guilhot (1973). To 500 mg of the sample, 25 ml ethanol content was found to be 3.01 per cent in oyster mushroom.
(80%) was added in a round bottom flask. The flask was Reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars in Pleurotus florida
connected to a condenser and kept on a boiling water bath for were 0.38 and 2.63 g/100g on dry weight basis, respectively.
30 minutes with occasional stirring. The extract was cooled, Dietary fibre content and in vitro digestibility of protein
centrifuged at 8000 rpm for 15 minutes. The supernatant was depicts that the ADF content of oyster mushroom was 17.82
collected in a beaker. This procedure was repeated twice, each g/100g on dry weight basis whereas NDF content was 43.22
time taking 25 ml ethanol (80.00%). The extract was kept on g/100g. In vitro protein digestibility of Pleurotus florida was
a boiling water bath to evaporate ethanol. The residue was
dissolved in distilled water and volume was made to 50 ml. Table 1 : Total soluble sugar s, r educing sugars, non-reducing
Total soluble sugars and reducing sugars were estimated by sugar s,ADF,NDF and invitro protein digestibility
(g/100g) of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida) on dry
method of Yemm and Willis (1954) and Somogyi’s modified weight basis
method (Somogyi, 1945), respectively. The amount of non- Parameters Content
reducing sugars was calculated as the difference between total
Total soluble sugars 3.01±0.05
soluble sugars and reducing sugars. Dietary fibres were
Reducing suga r 0.38±0.10
estimated by Van Soest and Wine (1967) method and modified
method of Mertz et al. (1983) has been used to estimate in Non-reducing sugars 2.63±0.06
vitro protein digestibility. Oyster mushrooms were also Acid detergent fibre (ADF) 17.82±0.01
analysed for the total mineral content by atomic absorption Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) 43.22±0.07
spectrophotometer AABQ-20 by employing method of In vitro protein digestibility 78.96±0.47
Lindsey and Norwell (1969) and phosphorous content was Values are mean ± SE of three independent determinations

Food Sci. Res. J.; 5(1) | Apr., 2014 | 56-58 57 Hind Instidute of Science and Technology
 STUDY ON NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION & COMPOSITION OF OYSTER MUSHROOMS

78.96 per cent. Bano, Z. and Rajarathnam, S. (1988). Pleurotus II. Chemical
The mineral content of oyster mushroom is presented composition, nutritional value, post-harvest physiology,
in Table 2. Data reveals that iron content in Pleurotus florida preservation and role as human food. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr.,
was 11.60 mg/100g. Zinc was found to be 13.60 mg/100g, 27 (2): 87-158.
phosphorus content was 1254 mg/100g, manganese was Cerning, J. and Guilhot, J. (1973). Changes in carbohydrate
5.46 mg/100g, calcium was found to be 1280.33 mg/100g composition during maturation of wheat and barley kernel. Cereal
and copper was 3.83 mg /100g on dry weight basis. It can Chem., 50: 220-222.
be co ncluded from the pr esent study that o yster Chen, P.S., Tosibara, T.Y. and Warner, H. (1956). Micro-
mushroom (Pleurotus florida) is highly nutritious determination of phosphorous. Anal. Chem., 28 (11) : 1756-
especially rich in proteins with high digestibility, high 1759.
fibre and good in vitro protein digestibility. It can be used Das, L. (2003). Cooking god’s own food- the south Indian way.
in the dietaries of population to improve their nutritional Current vistas in mushroom biology and production. Mushroom
status and it can used as cheap alternative for non- Soc. India. pp. 253-256.
vegetarian food to provide vital proteins in good amount.
Das, N., Mahapatra, S.C. and Chattopadhyay, R.N. (2001).Uses
Accep tab ility of oyster mushro om ind icated that
of wild grasses as substrate for cultivation of oyster mushroom
incorporation of mushroom in product development would in South West Bengal. Mushroom Res., 9(2):95-99.
lead to increase in demand of this mushroom which will
help in motivating the farmers to grow this crop. This Kulshreshtha, M., Singh, A., Deepti and Vipul (2009). Effect of
indirectly, would also help in improving their economic drying conditions on mushroom quality. J. Eng. Sci. & Technol.,
4 (1) : 90-98.
as well as nutritional standards.
Kumar, K. and Barmanray, A. (2007). Studies on drying
Table 2 : Mineral content (mg/100g) of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus characteristics of white button mushroom dried by different
florida) on dry weight basis drying techniques. Mushroom Res., 16 (1):37-40.
Minerals Content
Lindsey, W.L. and Norwell, M.A. (1969). A new DPTA-TEA soil
Iron 11.60±0.06 test for zinc and iron. Agron. Abst., 61: 84.
Zinc 13.60±0.05 Mertz, E.T., Kirleis, A.W. and Sxtell, J.D. (1983). In vitro
Phosphorus 1254 ±0.12 digestibility of proteins in major food cereals. Fed. Proc., 42 (5)
: 6026.
Manganese 5.46±0.56
Calcium 1280.33±0.44
Somogyi, M. (1945). A new reagent for the determination of sugars.
J. Biol. Chem., 160 (1) : 61-66.
Copper 3.83±0.51
Values are mean ± SE of three independent determinations Van Soest, P.I. and Wine, R.H. (1967). Use of detergent in the
analysis of fibrous foods. Determination of plant cell
constituents. J. Assoc.Off. Anal.Chem.,50:50-51.
LITERATURE CITED Yemm, E.W. and Willis, A. J. (1954). The estimation of carbohydrates
AOAC (2000). Official methods of analysis. Association of Official. in plant extracts by anthrone. Biochem. J., 57 (3) : 508-514.
Analytical Chemists, Washington, D.C. USA.
WEBLIOGRAPHY
Arumuganathan, T. and Rai, R.D. (2004). Suitable packaging
materials for mushroom products. Beverage & Food World, Kumar, S. (2003). Oyster mushroom production in U.P. (India).
31(10): 46. Casteran region.http:/www. surenddram ushrooms. com/
images/oyster2jpg.

Received : 23.12.2013; Revised: 18.03.2014; Accepted : 30.03.2014

Food Sci. Res. J.; 5(1) | Apr., 2014 | 56-58 58 Hind Instidute of Science and Technology