Nutritional quality attributes of edible gasteroid wild mushroom astraeus hygrometricus

Abstract

The gasteroid mushroom Astraeus hygrometricus is one of the traditionally consumed wild mushrooms in Southwest India. Owing to insufficient information on nutritional attributes of this mushroom, the present study addresses proximal qualities, minerals, amino acids, protein bioavailability and fatty acid composition in uncooked and pressure-cooked samples. The proximal features include moderate quantity of protein, low total lipid, high crude fibre and high carbohydrate contents. In uncooked and cooked mushroom, potassium, iron and zinc were higher than NRC-NAS recommended pattern, while the Na/K ratio was favourable (<1). Six essential amino acids (EAAs) (His, Ile, Leu, Lys, Thr and Val) in uncooked and cooked samples surpassed the FAO-WHO stipulated pattern, while the ratio of total EAAs/total amino acids favourably increased on cooking. The EAA score for many amino acids (Ile, Leu, Lys, Phe + Tyr and Val) was higher in cooked than in uncooked samples. The in vitro protein digestibility was significantly higher in uncooked than cooked samples. The protein efficiency ratios were favourable (>2) with highest in cooked samples (2.3-2.9). Among the fatty acids, palmitic and oleic acids were high. Overall, the wild tender A. hygrometricus is nutritionally valuable either uncooked or cooked state with sufficient quantity of protein, high carbohydrates, high fibre, low fat with adequate quantity of some essential minerals and several EAAs. In addition to good nutritional potential, it is also known for several bioactive components and antioxidant properties that serve as indigenous natural nutraceutical source.