Analysis of nutritive and medicinal values of selected edible mushrooms at the University of Eastern Africa Baraton Farm, Nandi County

Abstract

The analysis of nutritive and medicinal values of selected edible mushrooms that is oyster, button and ordinary native mushroom consumed in the University of Eastern Africa Baraton were evaluated. The objectives of the study were; to determine the nutritive value of the selected mushrooms in the University of Eastern Africa Baraton, farm, to analyze the presents of minerals in the selected mushrooms and to determine the medicinal nature of the analyzed minerals and nutrients found in the mushrooms. The mushroom varieties were harvested and dried, then proximate, mineral and vitamin analyzed to determine their presence and their nutritive and medicinal values of the minerals determined. Standard scientific methods were used to analyze for approximate nutrient and mineral composition. The approximate content of the mushroom was found to be in the range of 7.80 – 23.40% for protein, 6.40 – 8.01% for fat, 2.40 – 11.74% for fibre, 2.48 – 4.08% for ash matter and 58.60 – 63.20% for carbohydrate. Five key essential mineral elements were analyzed: magnesium, selenium, iron, zinc and iodine having values of 0.80 to 2.76%, 2.90 to 6.02%, 2.72 to 4.50%, 3.38 to 4.44% and 0.30 to 0.62% respectively. The order of performance from the analysis showed that ordinary native, button and oyster mushroom respectively have the highest level of nutrients and minerals. In addition, the results showed that mushrooms have high nutrient potentials hence it will serve as a good means of reducing the incidence and high prevalence of malnutrition in UEAB and Kenya at large given that it is affordable when it comes to the indigenous mushrooms and even the propagated ones.