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Published in On-going Projects

CHARACTERIZATION, CONSERVATION AND DOMESTICATION OF INDIGENOUS EDIBLE AND MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS ON AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES (CDEMM)

OBJECTIVES: 

To document indigenous knowledge of edible and medicinal mushrooms in four regions of Ghana

To characterize by phenotypic methods mushrooms collected from four forests in these regions

To determine the biochemical composition of these mushrooms in order to ascertain their biochemical components

To ascertainthe quantity of antioxidants in the mushrooms

 

To cultivate five selected cultivable species on agricultural residues using the Juncao technology and plastic bag methods 

To transfer technology to 100 youths in the communities of the four regions 

WORK CARRIED OUT IN THE 2nd QUARTER, 2014

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE OF EDIBLE AND MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS DOCUMENTED. 

Indigenous knowledge of edible and medicinal mushrooms in communities around the Ayum forest in the Brong Ahafo region and Bia Forest Reserve in the Western region have been documented. A total of 761 questionaires were administered. Some of the questions asked were their perceptions about mushrooms, any uses they know of, how they came about that information etc. The results of this survey are being analyzed for a report/publication. 

NUTRITIONAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF MUSHROOMS

Results for five cultivated mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus strain EM1, P. sajor-caju strain PscW, Lentinus squarrosullus strain LsF, Lentinus squarrosullus strain SqW, Auricularia auricula strain ApA) and two wild mushrooms (Termitomyces robustus strain TrA and Pleurotus tuber-regium strain PtA) sent to Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, apartado, Portugal for analysis on their nutritional and antioxidant activities were received and a paper titled ‘Evaluation of the chemical and antioxidant properties of wild and cultivated mushrooms of Ghana’ (Mary Obodai, Lillian Barros, Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira, Ângela Fernandes, Deborah L. Narh Mensah, Matilda Dzomeku, Arailde F. Urden, Juanita Prempeh, Richard K. Takli) has been submitted to Food Chemistry.

DATA ANALYSIS AND PUBLICATION

Narh Mensah DL, Obodai, M. (2014). Morphological characteristics of mycelia growth of two strains of the indigenous medicinal mushroom, Lentinus squarrosulus Mont.(Singer), on solid media. African Journal of Agricultural Research. 9(23):1753-1760. 

WAY FORWARD (3rd quarter)

Mushroom Germplasm collection at Bia Forest Reserve in the Western Region

Visit of Brazillian Partners to Ghana to conduct a training programme and also to be involved in the collection and identification of Mushrooms from Bia Forest Reserve

Use of the newly constructed grass cutting machine for cultivation of mushrooms using the JUNCAO technology

Food Research Institute is located Adjacent to Ghana Standards Authority, Near Gulf House, Tetteh Quarshie Interchange, Accra, Ghana. We are open to the general public from Monday to Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm, excluding holidays. If you need any additional information or have a question, please contact us on 0302-962068/+233-243302980 or email us at info@foodresearchgh.org or director@foodresearchgh.org.

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