Effects of different agro-industrial waste as substrates on proximate composition, metals, and mineral contents of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

The use of agro-industrial waste as substrates for mushroom cultivation is considered a promising management strategy for reducing and valorising these wastes, simultaneously reducing the cost of mushroom cultivation. In this study, oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus were cultivated on twelve substrates composed of either tea waste, lime sawdust, alder sawdust, hornbeam sawdust/shaving, wheat stalk-straw, wheat bran or their composite to determine the proximate composition and accumulation of thirteen elements in their fruiting bodies. The proximate composition of P. ostreatus did not show a significant difference, regardless of the employed substrate. (one-way manova; F-(66,F- 107) = 1.329, Wilk's lambda = 0.041, P > 0.05). However, their chemical element contents show a statistically significant difference (one-way manova; F-(132,F- 418) = 32.163, Wilk's lambda = 0.000, P < 0.05). These results were supported by discriminant function and principal component analyses. The highest mean concentrations of six of twelve elements (i.e., Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Cd and Cr) were recorded in P. ostreatus cultivated on the lime-sawdust substrate. Three health indices viz., estimated daily intake, target hazard quotient (THQ) and total THQ were applied to determine the risk to human health via the consumption of P. ostreatus, suggesting that they are safe for human consumption.

Automated summary

Different substrates have a significant impact on the composition and element content of Pleurotus ostreatus. The highest concentrations of elements were found in the mushrooms cultivated on lime sawdust substrate. Health index analysis indicates that Pleurotus ostreatus is safe for human consumption.