Thesis Abstract

Abstract
Pleurotus tuberregium, commonly known as the "African potato," is a species of edible mushroom with potential health benefits. This study aimed to promote the composition of Pleurotus tuberregium through optimized cultivation conditions and post-harvest processing techniques. The research focused on enhancing the nutritional content, bioactive compounds, and sensory attributes of Pleurotus tuberregium to increase its market value and consumer acceptance. To achieve this goal, various cultivation parameters such as substrate composition, pH levels, temperature, and humidity were optimized to enhance the growth and development of Pleurotus tuberregium. Different substrates including agricultural wastes and by-products were tested to determine the most suitable medium for cultivation. The results showed that a substrate composed of rice straw and wheat bran in a ratio of 31 provided optimal conditions for the growth of Pleurotus tuberregium. In addition to cultivation conditions, post-harvest processing techniques were also investigated to preserve the nutritional quality of Pleurotus tuberregium. Drying methods such as hot air drying and freeze-drying were evaluated to determine their effects on the bioactive compounds and sensory attributes of the mushroom. It was found that freeze-drying preserved the bioactive compounds and sensory characteristics of Pleurotus tuberregium better than hot air drying. Furthermore, the nutritional composition of Pleurotus tuberregium was analyzed to determine its potential health benefits. The mushroom was found to be a good source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It also contained bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides and antioxidants that have been linked to various health-promoting properties, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Overall, this study highlights the importance of optimizing cultivation conditions and post-harvest processing techniques to promote the composition of Pleurotus tuberregium. By enhancing the nutritional content, bioactive compounds, and sensory attributes of this edible mushroom, its market value can be increased, leading to greater consumer acceptance and utilization. Further research is needed to explore the full potential of Pleurotus tuberregium as a functional food with health-promoting benefits.

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTION

plenntus tuberregium is a fungi as and an aerobic metabolism and generates energy form oxidation of organic compound. The morphor logical differentiation of plenntus tuberregium is limited. It forms hyphen and develop each type depending on the growth condition. The diameter of the hyphen is usually 5NM. The hyphen is either without septate or has a cellular morphology by septate hyphae. The mass of hyphae represent the mycellium (Stolp, 1988).
plenntus tuberregium posses rigid cell wall. It does not posses chlorophyll and it has a chemoorganotrophic metabolism. It belongs to the group of fungi called basidiomycetes and are the most developed fungi. They produce basidia containing the four basidiospores. The mycellium consist of septate hyphen.
However, plenntus tuberregium supplies the major food types. Protein, carbohydrates, fat and oil as well as minerals (OSO, 1977). It is known to be tastier than meat, fish or seed plant proteins. People who abstain from meat for religious reasons have greater choice of plant protein and superior alternative taste in plenntus tuberregium. The fruiting body as well as sclerotigl mass is more commercially
Demanded and yet minimally exploited.
Several indigenous knowledge and uses of plenntus tuberregium point to the tremendous potential of this biological resource.
As a food stablizer / thickening agent
As binding agent.
As a rich source of foric acid for children and pregnant women.
As a rich source of calcium for the bones of aging men and women as well as treatment for boils constipation and dental caries (Oso, 1977).
A visit tot he market place any where in Igbo land, would show this commodity being processed in the soup condiment section. The sclerotia mass is scrapped and ground with curcurbita (Melon seeds). This causes swelling and bulking of the soup. A local snacks called “Ogbalotic” is prepared from Curcurbita Pepo and plenntus tuberregium it is normally tied in a leaf of cola gigantea and boiled which yields a well known health and energy sustaining snacks. It is cherished till today in the villages. Travelers and farm workers need only this and large volume of water to sustain them for days.
This taxanomic position of plenntus tuberregium has been problematic because it produces eathery fruit bodies and posses of dogmatic hyphen system with interracially skeletal hyphae, many prenous authorities placed it in either panus or lentinus (Corner, 1981, Peyler, 1983).
plenntus tuberregium has been eaten since classical times (Corner, 1981, Nwokolo 1987, and Okhuoya, et al, 1998). The question of sustainability of plenntus tuberregium is guareur teed being a biological resources, the technology has been developed for massive production (Okhuoya et al 1998). Other added advantages include the fact that substrate for cultivation of plenntus tuberregium is waste such as rice straw, wood dust. Sunnlight is not required so that caves and shades could maximally produced plenntus tuberregium industrially.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The present study is to ascertain t he nutritional composition of plenntus tuberregium.