Evaluation of nutrients, trace metals and antioxidant activity in Volvariella volvacea (Bull. Ex. Fr.) Sing

Volvariella volvacea (Bull. Ex. Fr.) Sing, were collected from mushroom farms at Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, South India. The different organic and inorganic additives were used in mushroom culture. Methanolic extracts were prepared from these mushrooms and their antioxidant properties, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and nutrient analysis were studied. Biomass productions, the additives Calcium carbonate and Sawdust were recorded better results. Calcium carbonate recorded maximum levels of enzymatic antioxidants that are catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, peroxidase, glutathione-s-transferase and Glutathione reductase, DPPH scavenging activities (31.71±0.05 – 92.05±0.06 mg/ ml), reducing power (0.29±0.05 – 0.45±0.04 mg/ ml), nutrients and trace metals were also significantly high in Calcium carbonate. Similar trends were recorded in nutrient analysis and mushroom yield potential (1356.98±1.1 g/ bed). The ongoing research will lead to a new generation of nutritional food because V. volvacea may have potential as natural antioxidants and the calcium carbonate could be used as a suitable additive to improve the production of antioxidative substances, nutritive value and yield in the mushroom food industry.