In many food laboratories bulk of the routine
analysis comprises the method of proximate analysis.Proximate analysis of food is the
determination of the major components of food, which includes, moisture content,
fats, ash, protein, carbohydrate and fiber. In practical terms, the methods used for the
determination of different food components do not only vary according to the
food material being studied also in details of evaluation procedure. These
methods were evolved by thorough studies
of the inherent properties of the components of interest and exploring the
unique advantage such properties have over others; this allowing the component
to be either isolated or eliminated moisture and fat for example are separated
from solvent respectively, using the soxhet extraction method. Protein is
indirectly determine as total nitrogen by Kjedahl method. Ash and crude fibre
determination involves the stop wise elimination of other component until the
product of
interest is arrived at.
In most of these
determination allowances have to be made for interfaces arising from the food
itself. It therefore becomes necessary to replace each experimental and a run a
blank determination to compensate for errors (Pearson, 1976).
PROTEIN: Edible mushrooms contain high amount of
proteins (oughoni et al 2009). It is the second most abundant constituent in
mushroom. It has all the eight of the essential amino acids which are the
building block responsible for making strong
muscles (Frei and Becker 2004).
Protein content in mushroom can be measured using micro-kjheldal analysis and
other methods the protein content is affected by environmental conditions such
as soil and nitrogen fertilizer application. Protein quality is determined by
the amino acid composition and by its digestibility (Frei and Becker, 2004).
The amino acid profile of mushroom show that it is high in glutamic and aspartic
acid. Certain essential amino acids such lysine which is the first limiting
amino acid, which are particularly important for the growth of children are
often scare in plant foods while being more abundant in animal protein.
CARBOHYDRATE: Around 56.8 percent of the energy (kilojules/calones that mushroom
supplied comes from carbohydrate. Carbohydrate is an excellent some of energy/fuel
of our body. It is easily digested and so the energy it supplies becomes
quickly available to working muscle brain and body organs. Like the heart, and
live. The fuel that mushrooms provides is used for physical activity, brain performance,
bodily functions and everyday growth and repair (Ajum et al 2007). Mushroom
fits well with the dietary recommendation for a balanced diet. The energy
(ilojoules/calories) it provides is accompanied by nutrients such as protein,
vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre making. Every mouthful count (Anjum, et
al, 2009). Edible mushrooms contain both simple and complex carbohydrate simple
carbohydrates in rice include glucose, lactose, sucrose and fructose while
complex carbohydrates in mushroom are starch and fiber. Starch existence as
either amylase or amylopectin are linked together in every large numbers.
During digestion these link are broken and the resulting glucose is absorbed
into the body. Nutrition expert’s recommendation at least half the calories in
a healthy diet should come from carbohydrates which are provided by foods such
as mushroom.
FAT: Mushroom is healthy for which it contains and for what of does not
contain. Mushroom is low in fat and cholesterol free. Most importantly mushroom
is very low in harmful saturated fats and trans fatty acids which are known to
raise the blood cholesterol levels. They play an important role in many
physiological processes, including cell membrane function and the development
and functioning of the nervous system (Boils and Datta, 1996).
Ouzoun et al 2009
stipulated that edible mushroom contains 12.5% fat. Usually in food analysis
the total lipid contain is determined rather than the true fat content and this
has resulted in the term fat and lipid becoming virtually indistinguishable
most common method for fat determination is soxhlet extraction method.
Crude fibre: Crude fibre represents the organic reside
left behind after the material has being treated under standardized condition
with petroleum, boiling with dilute sulfuric acid, alcohol and either.
Cheung 1998, described
how edible mushroom are an ideal food for the prevention of atherosclerosis due
to their high fiber content
Edible mushroom are
excellent some of fiber, inclusion of edible mushroom into the diet has a
hypoholesterolemic effect. Perhaps due to dietary fibers such as beta glucan
which increases motility, reducing bile and cholesterol absorption.
Moisture content: Moisture
content of food is of great important to every food processor as a number of
biochemical and physiological changes in food depends very much on the moisture
on the stability and quality of foods. Therefore, moisture determination is one
of the vital components of food evaluated in the laboratories.
Ash content: ash in food constitutes the residue
remaining after all the moisture has been removed as well as the organic
material, fat, protein, carbohydrate, vitamin, organic acids have been burnt
away by igniting at a temperature of around 5000C. This result in the
oxwallon of organic constituent to volatile materials considered as carbon
dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxides.