NUTRIENT POTENTIAL OF WILD AND CULTIVATED EDIBLE MUSHROOMS AND THEIR POSSIBLE USE IN FORTIFYING SNACKS FOR PRE-SCHOOL AND SCHOOL CHILDREN

The study determined the nutrient composition of wild and cultivated edible mushrooms, and explored their use of cultivated Pleurotus tuber-regium in food-to-food fortification. Wild edible mushrooms (Pleurotus tuber-regium, Pholiota mutabilis, Pleurotus ostreatus, Corprinus disseminates, and Peziza badioconfusa Korf) were collected from different parts of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) residential quarters and identified in the Department of Botany, UNN. Cultivated Pleurotus tuber-regium was collected from the Department of Botany, UNN. The wild and cultivated mushrooms were processed into flour and chemically analyzed using standard methods of analysis. Different proportions (20g, 40g and 60g) of the Pleurotus tuber-regium flour were incorporated into 600g of wheat flour, cocoyam paste and corn starch to produce composites. The composites were used to prepare the following snacks: wheat buns, cocoyam buns and aged jollify. Each of these snacks had their controls made without mushroom. Sensory evaluation of the snacks was conducted using 20 panelists (children aged 8-14 years). The evaluation was done in three days at the rate of one fortified food (snack) per day. A 9-point Hedonic scale of 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest) was used to evaluate the products.