Biological quality of proteins from three strains of Pleurotus spp.

Three Pleurotus strains (IE136, INI8, and PORO) were grown on a commercial substrate. Fruit bodies of all strains presented high protein content, around 27%, with very high protein in vitro digestibility (98%). The highest aPER value was shown by strain PORO (2.38) and true digestibility values were 97.5%, 97.7% and 98.3% for strains IE136, INI8 and PORO, respectively. Fruit bodies with the highest biological value were produced by strain PORO (88.4%), while strain IE136 produced those with the lowest value (86.0%). Similarly, PORO fruit bodies showed the highest computed net protein utilization values, i.e., 86.9%, as well as the highest net protein ratio values (4.18). Although significant differences are found when comparing the values determined for the three strains with those corresponding to casein, such values are rather close to those of casein.