Evaluation of Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus sajor-caju nutritional characteristics when cultivated in different lignocellulosic wastes

Fungi of Pleurotus genus present a high content of proteins and vitamins and low content of fat. Based on these facts, this work aimed to evaluate some nutritional characteristics of fruiting bodies of Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus sajor-caju after the first harvest, using rice straw and banana straw as substrates. Both species presented a higher content of ash in the rice straw substrate (5.86% average) than in the banana straw (5.36%). P. sajor-caju CCB 019 showed higher moisture and fibre content when cultivated in rice straw (88.08% and 9.60%, respectively) than in banana straw (83.17% and 7.60%, respectively). The other parameters were not influenced by the cultivation substrate. The protein content (from 1.54% to 3.10%) of Pleurotus fresh fruiting bodies proved to be similar to, or even higher than, the values observed in various vegetables but lower than the protein contents of eggs, meat and cheese. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.