Studies on chemical composition and proximate analysis of wild mushrooms

Abstract

Mushrooms had long been used for medicinal and food purposes since decades. It is now increasingly recognized that correct diet, controls and modulates many functions of human body and consequently participates in the maintenance of state of good health, necessary to reduce the risk of many diseases. The chemical composition and proximate analysis of 4 wild mushroom (Microporus xanthopus, Pisolithus arrhizus, Phellinus linteus and Phellinus wahlbergii) species were analyzed from young and matured sporocarps were collected from the Western Ghats of Shivamogga and Chickmagalur districts. The macro nutrient profiles in general revealed that the wild mushrooms contains the moisture in range of (26.2-90.26%), crude fat (0.35-0.67%), carbohydrate (14.2-23.76%), crude protein (5.4-33.5%), crude fiber (8.4-13.2%), ash (1.92-9.2%) and nutritive value (86.44-125.84 Cal/100 gm). Among the macronutrients, Na is dominant, which is followed by K, P, Ca and Mg; in case of micronutrients Mn was dominant followed by Cu and Zn all the mushroom samples. In the same time Fe, Pb and Cd was completely absent in all mushroom samples. The results were subjected for statistical analysis. Hence, these nutrient contents revealed that mushrooms were low energy, healthy food and may also be used as a protein supplementary diet. This paper sums up diverse beneficial health effects of mushrooms to humans, in the form of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, food and drugs and medicines.