Nutritional Potential of Two Species of Mushroom Edible by the Tem and Kabyè Peoples Living Along the Alédjo Wildlife Reserve: P. tuber-regium (Fr.) Fr and C. platyphyllus Heinem

Abstract

In tropical Africa, edible wild mushrooms are often collected and used by different peoples for both food and traditional medicine. In order to obtain information on the nutritional values of edible wild mushrooms in Togo, a study was carried out on the species Cantharellus platyphyllus and Pleurotus tuber-regium consumed by the Tem and Kabyè populations living in the Alédjo Wildlife Reserve. Samples of both species were subjected to biochemical analysis using the usual AOAC methods. The results showed that C. platyphyllus and P. tuber-regium are rich in macronutrients and essential minerals. The total carbohydrate, protein, fat and fibre contents were 67.86 ± 0.08 g, 11.86 ± 0.08 g, 3.19 ± 0.11 g and 3.5 ± 0.29 g per 100 g of dry matter respectively for C. platyphyllus. Mineral contents of 100 g of dry matter were also interesting, with 7667 ± 0.09 mg, 1216 ± 0.03 mg, 1067 ± 0.04 mg and 444.44 ± 0.32 mg respectively for K, P, Mg and Ca. The same applies to the species P. tuber-regium for which the contents were 65.96 ± 0.91 g, 10.59 ± 0.33 g, 2.79 ± 0.15 g and 5.92 ± 0.30 g per 100 g of dry matter respectively for total carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fibres on the one hand, and on the other hand, 1011 ± 0.01 mg, 893.3 ± 0.42 mg, 66.67 ± 0.39 mg and 440.44 ± 0.9 mg per 100 g of dry matter for K, P, Mg and Ca respectively. In conjunction with their organic matter content, the mushrooms analysed showed significant energy values, with 333.6 ± 0.05 Kcal for C. platyphyllus and 308.3 ± 4.44 Kcal for P. tuber-regium. These mushrooms can therefore be considered as an endogenous source of food and nutritional security.