Edible Mushroom of Pleurotus spp.:A Case Study of Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus L.)

Abstract

HE HUMANITY tries to find alternative sources for everyday nutrition beside the traditional ones, which include meats, fruits and vegetables. The edible mushrooms are considered a promising non-traditional source for human diet. Among mushroom species, the genus of Pleurotus is commercially essential mushrooms, which produces alone about 25% of total cultivated throughout the world. Pleurotus mushrooms are rich in several nutritional compounds like dietary fibers, proteins, carbohydrates, essential amino acids, water-soluble vitamins, and minerals as well as many functional bioactive molecules including polyphenols, polysaccharides, lipids, and terpenoids. The current review focuses on the genus of Pleurotus and its different mushroom species. This mushroom has a great attraction from consumers due to its desirable flavor and aroma. This mushroom has also several applications because of its antifungal, anti-inflammatory