Proximate and Mineral Composition of Bread Fortified with Mushroom (Plerotus ostreatus and Calocybe indica)

The proximate and mineral composition of two mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus and Calocybe indica) was firstly determined. The mushrooms was dried and milled into powder. The Mushroom Powder (MP) was used to substitute wheat flour in bread formulation at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. The 0% inclusion served as the positive control while bread obtained from the market served as the negative control. The proximate and mineral properties of the bread were determined before and after storage using standard methods. The study revealed that the ash content, fiber and protein content increased significantly with increase in the addition of the mushroom powder. Protein content increased from 9.12% in the negative control to 18.7% with 5% MP inclusion and 25.1% with 20% MP inclusion. Potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc and iron content of the bread increased significantly (P≤0.05) with increase in the mushroom powder. The results from this study revealed mushroom could be used to improve the nutritional value of bread and this may help in the reduction of protein and mineral malnutrition prevalent in Nigeria and other developing countries.