Journal of Advances in Food Science & Technology

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of refrigeration on the content of nutrients and anti-nutrients in an edible mushroom – P. sajor-caju consumed in Nigeria. Fresh and matured samples of the mushroom were purchased from Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria where it is being cultivated. This was shared into four equal groups. Three groups were subjected to storage in a refrigerator at 4°C for two weeks, four weeks and six weeks while the fourth group (fresh sample) served as the control. The samples were analysed for nutrients and anti-nutrients using standard methods. The results of the study revealed that increased storage time reduced most of the nutritional and anti-nutritional contents of the mushroom. Six weeks after refrigeration, moisture content increased by 3.77% while protein, fat, ash, crude fibre and carbohydrate contents reduced by 33.61%, 57.14%, 33.93%, 62.50% and 22.38% respectively; sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, zinc and copper contents reduced by 14.09%, 12.08%, 27.91%, 13.01%, 21.28%, 20.14%, 39.68% and 42.00% respectively while manganese increased by 0.93%; vitamins A and C contents reduced by 36.00% and 52.51% respectively while phytate, oxalate and cyanide contents reduced by 26.67%, 23.33% and 25.00% respectively. The results of the present study suggest that refrigeration processing of less than two weeks could be the best time for the preservation of the nutritive value of the mushroom.