ABSTRACT

The nutritional and anti-nutritional study of two tropical edible mushrooms (Pleurotus

squarrosulus and Termitomyces robustus) revealed that P. squarrosulus had 7.06±0.29% protein,

0.87±0.12%fat, 4.33±0.12% crude fibre, 8.07±0.12% ash, 11.11±0.30% moisture, 79.67±4.79%

carbohydrate, 88.89±0.30% drymatter and 354.75kca1/g of energy; while T. robustus had

7.52±0.15% protein, 0.67±0.12% fat, 4.67±0.12%crudefibre, 13.27±0.12%ash, 12.27±0.12%

moisture, 73.87±0.15% carbohydrate, 87.73±0.12%drymatter and 331.59kca1/g of energy. The

phytochemical evaluation of P. squarrosulus yielded 4.86±0.39% tannin, 233.33±57.14 TUIIg.

0.37±0.02% phytate, 0.07±0.01% oxalate; while T. robustus had 4.63±0.44% tannin,

233.33±57.74TU1Jg, 0.34±0.01% phytate, 0.01±0.005% oxalate. But hydrogen cyanide

(HCNmgfkg) was not detected in both mushrooms. Statistical analysis revealed that the protein

and fat of both mushrooms were not significantly different (P>0.05), while the moisture content

of T.robustus was significantly higher (12.27%) than that of P. squarrosulus (11.11%); while its

dry matter content (87.73%) was significantly lower than that of P.squarrosulus (88.89%), the

crude fibre and ash contents of T. robustus were significantly higher (4.67 and 13.27%

respcctivcly) than that of I'. squarrosulus (4.33 and 8.07% respectively). The tannin, phytic acid

and lrvpsjn nhhjlor contents of both mushroom samples were not significantly different

(P>0.05); while the oxalate content of P. squarrocu/uc was significantly higher (0.07%) than that

of T rohstus (0.01%.