Effects of Drying on the Nutritional Value of Three Edible Mushrooms Grown in Nigeria

Mushrooms are highly nutritious foods but are very perishable because of their high moisture content making preservation essential to extend shelf life and maintain quality. This study examined how drying affected the nutritional makeup of three edible wild mushrooms cultivated in Nigeria: Medical mushroom, White Oyster Mushroom, and Grey Oyster Mushroom. The mushrooms were dried, ground into powder, and analyzed for proximate composition, mineral content, and vitamin content using standard Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) methods. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the data, and the Duncan Multiple Range Test was used to differentiate mean differences at p < 0.05. The findings showed that the nutritional makeup of the dried mushrooms varied significantly. Grey oyster mushroom had significantly higher protein, crude fibre, fat, and ash contents, while medical mushroom recorded the highest carbohydrate and mineral contents. Vitamin analysis showed that medical mushroom contained significantly higher levels of vitamins A, C, B₂, and B₃, whereas vitamin B₁ was highest in grey oyster mushroom. White oyster mushroom generally had the lowest nutrient values. The study concludes that drying is an effective preservation method that significantly reduces moisture content and enhances shelf life while retaining most essential nutrients. The results support the rising use of dried wild edible mushrooms by highlighting their nutritional and therapeutic value in Nigeria for improved food security and human nutrition.