Nitrogen Supplementation on the Productivity and the Chemical Composition of Oyster Mushroom

Abstract

Mushrooms have been used for food and medicinal purposes since ancient period. The β-glucans found in mushrooms are currently considered to be responsible for some of the medicinal properties of mushrooms, thereby motivating studies on characterization of these compounds. In our study, we tested the effect of nitrogen supplementation on the productivity and nutritional composition of Pleurotus ostreatus mushrooms. The fungi were grown in various substrates supplemented with urea or rice bran, and the biological efficiency, mineral composition, protein and β-glucan content were evaluated. The growth of P. ostreatus in substrates with nitrogen supplementation increases the mushroom’s productivity and nutritional value. Our results also indicate that nitrogen supplementation, a simple technique, efficiently increases the β-glucan content of mushrooms.