Evaluation of phytochemical and antioxidant properties of Pleurotus pulmonarias flour supplemented cookies

Mushrooms are valuable food plants sources which possess different kinds of bioactive components suitable as health beneficial compounds for the management of diseases. Limited knowledge and ignorance about its benefits to man has led to low uses of Pleurotus pulmonarius in Nigeria. Flours were developed from Pleurotus pulmonarius aseptically and use to compound composite flour with wheat flour for production of cookies. Phytochemicals and antioxidant properties of the cookies produced from Pleurotus pulmonarius supplemented flours were investigated using standard analytical methods. In this study, composite flour was obtained from blends of wheat and Pleurotus pulmonarius at ratio 100:0, 90:10, 85:15, 80:20 and 75:25 (w/w) to produce cookies. The Diphenyl picryl hydroxyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, Iron chelating assay, total phenolics content, and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay of the wheat-mushroom cookies were determined using water extract. Phytochemical results of the cultivated mushroom cookies, shows varying quantities of alkaloids (50-90%), saponins (11.05-12.09 µg/mL), terpenoids (8.03-12.05µg/mL), tannins (0.01-0.03 µg/mL), and steroids (0.39-1.72 µg/mL). The total flavonoid, FRAP, ABTS scavenging activity, Vitamin C, DPPH and iron (Fe2+) chelating ability of the cookies produced increased significantly (p < 0.05) with increasing levels of mushroom flour. The phytochemical and antioxidant activities of the wheat-mushroom flour blended cookies showed several antioxidant properties which makes it a prospective functional food. This study revealed that bioactive improved cookies produced as a food-based approach are responsible for inhibiting the oxidative damage caused by free radicals on health in developing countries.