Author(s): A.S. Khaliel, A.N. Abou-Heilah and M.Y. Kassim
Article publication date: 1989-12-01
Vol. 7 No. 3 (yearly), pp. 121-128.
338
Keywords
wild mushrooms, amino acids, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Fruiting bodies of the edible mushroom Podaxis pistillaris, growing in the wild in various regions of Saudi Arabia, were collected to determine their nutritive value for human consumption. The main chemical constituents determined were moisture content (76%), total nitrogen (5.0%), total crude protein (N X 6.25) averaged (22-37%), total protein (34.9%), total carbohydrates (18.5%), total lipids (2.3%), and ash content (12.4%). The quantities of desirable (K, Na, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, and Zn) and undesirable minerals (Pb and Cd) were determined. Seventeen amino acids were also determined. These constituents are discussed in terms of the importance of P. pistillaris as a source of nutrients for human consumption.