The nutritional and phytochemical compositions of L. squarrosulus, a wild edible mushroom which has been subjected to different drying methods were determined. The fresh mushroom was collected from a farmland in a rural community in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The sample was shared into three equal parts representing shade dried, oven dried and sun dried. The dried samples were powdered and proximate, mineral and phytochemical analyses were carried out. Results of the proximate and mineral analysis revealed that the mushroom is rich in proximate components and minerals required for maintenance of good health as it contained high protein range (11.65-11.88%), carbohydrate (70.15-70.65%), phosphorus (845.68-905.72mg/100g), potassium (568.93-582.56mg/100g), sodium (145.65-169.45mg/100g) and calcium (345.68-386.45mg/100g) contents. Phytochemical analysis also revealed the presence of some phytochemicals such as alkaloids (0.05-0.07%), tannins (0.11-0.13%), phenols (3.25-4.12%), saponins (1.02-1.54%) and flavonoids (2.02-2.34%). Cardiac glycosides, steroids and anthraquinones were however absent regardless of the drying method. The results showed that all the drying methods had little effect on the proximate, mineral and phytochemical compositions of the mushroom. Thus, any of the three methods of drying is suitable to preserve the mushroom, a good food supplement.

Keywords: Nutritional composition, phytochemical composition, mushroom, L. squarrosulus