J. Dairying, Foods & H.S.

25 (2) ; 7986, 2006

DRYING OF OYSTER MUSHROOM (Pleurotus florida)

IN DIFFERENT DRYERS
Satish Naik, M. Ramachandra, K.S. Rajashekharappa, T.N. Tulasidas,
K. Murali 1 and B.C. Mallesha2
Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences,
GKVK, Bangalore-560 065, India
ABSTRACT
To optimize the drying method for drying of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida) three different
drying methods were followed viz., Solar cabinet, microwave-oven and cabinet tray drying methods.
The experiments were carried out at the Department of Agricultural Engineering, UAS, GKVK,
Bangalore. The rehydration ratio and sensory evaluation scores were used as criteria for evaluating
the product quality. The results revealed that, cabinet tray dried (at 6()OC and 1%KMS pretreatment)
mushroom samples were found to be good. The KMS treated samples had highest rehydration ratio
and sensory evaluation scores as compared to the control (untreated) and balanced samples.

INTRODUCTION
during drying (Deshpande and Tamhane,
Mushroom contains high quality 1981).
proteins, vitamins and minerals as compared
The optimum tefDperature for drying
to fruits and vegetables (Hemant Mohure, of sulphited mushroom was 600C to retain the
2(02). The mushroom is popular for its delicacy original colour and flavour (Dang and Singh
and flavour. It contains about 90% moisture, 1978). Mudahar and Bains (1982), suggested
. because of its high moisture and delicate nature that pre-treatment is necessary to check
cannot be stored for more than 24 hours at an discolouration during mushroom drying.
ambient temperature. After harvest, changes
In order to improve the shelf life of the
like browning, loss of moisture and texture
occurs. Production of mushroom in the world mushroom and thereby to introduce
at present is estimated to be around 5 million mushroom-based Agro-industries, the present
tones per annum and is increasing at the rate investigation was under taken to study the
of 7% per annum as compared to past years drying behavior of mushroom in various driers.
(Tewari and Meera Pandey, 2002). In India its
Oyster mushroom is highly suitable for
production is about 50,000 tonnes per annum cultivation in plains and even in hilly areas with
(Tewari, 2004).
.
more bio-efficiency (40~100 percent} and it
Since all the mushrooms produced requires wider cropping temperature. Oyster
cannot be marketed immediately, effective mushroom contains 89.8 % moisture, 2.9 %
preservation methods are necessary to improve pro~ein, 0.36 % fat, 5.3 % carbohydrates, 1 %
the shelf life. Among different drying methods fiber, 1 % ash and 33.9 Kilocalories of energy
like hot air drying, freeze drying, microwave value. Oyster mushroom known to have
drying and irradiation drying; hot air drying is vitamines like thiamine (0.5 mg/100 g fresh
mostly used for long-term storage of mushroom), riboflavin (0.5 mg/100 g fresh
mushroom. Hot air drying is comparatively mushroom) and niacin (10.9 mg/lOO 9 fresh
cheaper method and is employed on mushroom). Oyster mushroom is also having
commercial scale (Pruthi eta/, 1978). However, minerals like calcium (3.3 mg/100 g fresh
water blanching for 3 min .inactivates the mushroom), phosphorous (134.8 mg/100 g
polyphenoloxidase that causes browning fresh mushroom), Iron (1.5 mg/100 g fresh
1.COliege of Agriculture, OAS, GRVR; Bangalore-65, IndIa.
2.Department of Argil. Microbiology, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore-65, India.

J. DAIRYING, FOODS & H.S.

80

Table 1: Dryi~g characteristics of mushroom

Method of Drying

Treatment

Solar Cabinet
Drying

Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5% KMS
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5% KMS

Microwaveoven Drying

Cabinet Tray
Drying

Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5% KMS
Control
Blanching
0.5'YaJ<'MS
1.0% KMS
1.5% KMS
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0% KMS
1.5% KMS

Temperature (OC)

40-70

40 2

55

60

70

Drying
Final moisture content, %
(wb)
time (min)
(db)

Drying
Ratio

360
480
390
420
480
95
110
110

8.81
8.71
8.93
8.96
9.05
8.61
8.35
8.81

8.10
8.01
8.20
8.23
8.30
8.02
7.71
8.09

10.00
7.04
10.73
1078
10.81
9.97
6.96
10.67

115
120
330
420
360
390
420
270
330
300
330
360
210
270
240
240
270

8.94
9.16
9.31
9.07
9.48
9.50
9.65
9.13
9.05
9.11
9.17
9.24
9.00
8.85
9.08
9.11
9.13

8.21
8.34
8.51
8.32
8.66
8.68
8.80
8.37
8.30
8.35
8.41
8.46
8.26
8.13
8.32
8.35
8.36

10.67
10.67
9.73
6.91
10.49
10.52
10.55
9.96
7.15
10.76
10.79
10.89
9.66
7.36
10.45
10.51
10.61

mushroom), Sodium, (83.7 mg/lOOg fresh (3) Soaking in 1.0% KMS Solution for 15 min
mushroom) and Fbtassium (373.3 mgl100'g fresh (4) Soaking in 1.5% KMS Solution for 15 min
mushroom) as given by Marimuthu'et aL, (1989). (5) Untreated mushroom served as control
The pre-treated mushroom samples were
MATERIAL AND METHODS
placed
on
a blotting paper to remove the unbound
Freshly harvested oyster mushroom
surface
moisture.
The control as well as the pre(PJeurotus florida) was cultivated during winter on
treated
samples
were
dried by three methods of
paddy strawsubstrate at the University ofAgricultural
drying
Viz.,
Solar
cabinet
drying, Microwave oven
Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore were procured. The
drying
and
cabinet
tray
drying.
mushroom with 90.56% moisture (wb) was sOrted
for good quality. The brown and affected portions
Moisture content of oyster mushroom was
of the Itnishroom were discarded. Quality determined as per the procedure given by AOAC
mushroom was sliced to12mm thickness (Pruthi et standards (1995). The pretreatment was followed
aI. 1978) and washed with potable water to remove as suggested by Sugunal et aI. (1995). The samples
dirt and foreign materials, so as to reduce the initial were dried in cabinet tray drier at 55, 60 and 7fJJC
microbfal load, and wven various pre-treatments, temperatures to a predetermined moisture level (8. Suchas,
9%Wb). Similarly the samples were dried in
(1) Blanching: It was done in boiling water for 3-4 microwave oven at a power level-I, hot air
min. Immediately, the blanched mushroom were temperature 4O2C. In solar cabinet drier the
samples were dried at 4O-700C. The dried samples
cooled under running tap water for 10 minutes.
(2) Soaking in 0.5% KMS Solution for 15 min in all the methods of drying were immediately

Vol. 25, No.2, 2006

81

Table 2: Effect of drying methods. pre-treatments and temperature on qualities of mushroom

(Mean scores of five judges)
Method of
Drying
Solar Cabinet
Drying

Microwaveoven Drying

Cabinet Tray
Drying

Treatment
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0% KMS
1.5% KMS
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5%KMS
Control
Blanching.
0.5%KMS
).O%KMS
1.5%KMS
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5%KMS
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5% KMS

Temperature (OC)
40-70
40-70
40-70
40-70
40-70
40 2
40 2
40 2
40 2
40 2

55
55
55
55
55
60

60
60
60
60
70
70
70
70
70

Rehydration
Ratio
3.41
3.20
3.75
3.82
3.87
3.46
3.42
3.88
4.91
4.95
3.91
3.68
4.72
4.81
4.93
3.98
3.76
4.90
4.93
5.2)
4.10
3.89
5.20
5.22
5.25

Organoleptic Characteristics
Colour
Texture
Flavour
2.8
2.0
3.0
3.2
3.0
2.0
2.2
3.4
3.8
3.6
3.0
2.2
3.2
3.6
3.4
3.2
2.6
3.6
4.0
3.4
3.0
2.0
3.2
3.4
3.2

2.2
2.0
2.8
3.0
3.0
2.0
2.0
3.4
3.6
3.4
2.8
2.0
3.2
3.4
3.2
2.6
2.0
3.6
3.8
3.4
2.6
2.0
3.0
3.2
3.0

2.4
2.4
3.2
3.4
3.0
2.2
2.6
3.6
3.8
3.6
2.4
2.8
3.4
3.6
3.2
2.6
2.8
3.4
4.0
3.6
2.2
2.8
3.2
3.2
3.0

packed in polyethylene bag and kept in desiccators judges was nur.lerical scores rating from 0 (very
to prevent further accumulation of moisture from poor) to 5 (extrerlieiy good) points as proposed by
the surroundings.
.
Amerine et al., (1965).
The rehydration ratio (ratio of sample
weight after maximum rehydration when immersed
in boiling water to the weight of dried sample taken
for rehydration) was determined as per the method
described by Pruthi et al. (1978). Rehydrayion ratio
at different time of immersion (10, 20 and 30
minutes) in boiling water was calculated as under

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Drying characteristics The drying behavior of

mushroom in solar cabinet is presented in Rg.1.
Solar cabinet drying took 6 to 8 hours to reach the
required final moisture content. (Table 1). Rgs.2, 3,
4 and 5 shows the drying characteristics of
mushroom under Microwave oven drying and
Weight of dried sample taken (WI) = 2.5 gms
cabinet tray drying (55, 60 and 7CfJC). Drying rate
Weight of rehydrated
was higher in Microwave-oven drying compared
sample (Wz)
to Solar cabinet and cabinet tray drying methods.
Rehydration Ratio (RR) = - - - - - This
may be due to use of both microwave energy
Weight of dried
convective
hot air (40ZOC) in combination
and
sample (WI)
A panel of five judges, for colour, texture as a medium for drying. Similar interpretation has
and flavour, did the sensory evaluation of the been made by Rama and Jacob John (2000) and
mushroom samples. The rating assigned by the Tulasidas (1994). Rg. 6 clearly shOlAlS that the sample

J. DAIRYING, FOODS & H.S.

82

Table 2A;. Effect of pre-treatment and drying methods on rehydration of dried mushroom by
immersion in boiling water
Drying Method

Treatment
W2

RR

TIme (min)
20
W2
RR

7.85
7.33
7.98
8.18
8.28
8.30
7.80
8.10
10.70
10.75
7.90
7.80
11.05
11.13
11.75
8.13
8.08
11.28
11.40
12.10
8.43
8.35
11.43
11.48
11.53

3.14
2.93
3.19
3.27
3.31
3.32
3.12
3.24
4.28
4.30
3.16
3.12
4.42
4.45
4.70
3.25
3.23
4.51
4.56
4.84
3.37
3.34
4.57
4.59
4.61

8.23
7.95
8.90
9.05
9.23
8.43
i.30
9.25
11.90
12.05
8.93
8.40
11.70
11.80
12.18
9.33
8.80
11.90
11.95
12.80
9.38
8.85
12.05
12.13
12.23

10
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5% KMS
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5%KMS
Control
Blanching
O:5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5%KMS
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS
1.5% KMS
Control
Blanching
0.5%KMS
1.0%KMS;
1.5%KMS

Solar Cabinet
.Drying
Temperature:
40-70"C
Microwaveoven drying
Power level-I
Temperature:
40 2C
Cabinet Tray
Drying at 55C

Cabinet Tray
Drying at 60C

Cabinet Tray
Drying at 70"C

1200
1100
1000

_ n___ 30

3.29
3.18
3.56
3.62
3.69
3.37
3.32
3.70
4.76
4.82
3.57
3.36
4.68
4.72
4.87
3.73
3.52
4.76
4.78
5.12
3.75
3.54
4.82
4.85
4.89.

W2

RR

8.53
8.00
9.38
9.55
9.68
8.65
8.56
9.70
12.28
12.38
9.78
9.20
11.80
12.03
12.33
9.95
9.40
12.25
12.33
13.03
10.30
9.73
13.00
13.05
13.13

3.41
3.20
3.75
3.82
3.87
3.46
3.42
3.88
4.91
4.95
3.91
3.68
4.72
4.81
4.93
3.98
3.76
4.90
4.93
5.21
4.10
3.89
5.20
5.22
5.25

Dry ing Temperature: 4O-70C

-+-Control

i900
--

';/.800

.......-O.5%KMS

if
u 700

____ 1.5% KMS

_ _ Blanching(3-4 min)
~I.O%KMS

c600
8~ 500
3400
o 300

.I!l

200

1~~
o

30

.=-~,
60

90

... ..

120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360 390 420 450 480 '51
Time (min)

Fig. I: Drying characteristics ofmushroom under solar cabinet dry ing at diflerent
pre -treatments

Vol. 25, No.2, 2006

Drying Temperature: 40 2 C
Power Ievel-I

1200
1100
,-.
.J

1000
900

83

....-Control
_____ Blanching (3-4 min)

800
'<

-.-0.5% KMS

'i:
u

700

~I.O%K.MS

:5
~

600
500

::s

400

300

.;o

1.5%KMS

200
100

o
o

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 10 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110115

Time (min)

Fig.2: Drying characteristics of mushroom under Microwave drying at different pre

treatments

1200

I 1100
I
I~ 900
800

Drying Temperature: 55 C

1000 .

-+-Control
_____ Blanching (3-4 min)

C
til

700
'i: 600

8
~

:s

-.-0.5%KMS

-*- 1.0% KMS

~1.5%KMS

500

,.i 400
~ 300
200
100 .

--~,----,.-~

...-....

0306090

~-,.

120 150

ISO 210 240 270 300 330 360 390 420

Time (min)

Fig. 3: Drying characteristics of mushroom under cabinet tray drying (55C) at

different pre-treatments

J. DAIRYING, FOODS & H.S.

84

II

1100

1000

l:c

800

E
.,
E
0
u

700

.=

Drying Temperature: 60C

900

I~
~

I.

-+-Control
___ Blanching (3-4 min)

-.-050/0KMS

600

500

400

300

200

Vl

1.00/0KMS

____ 1.5% KMS

I

100

0+
0

L -_ _

30

90

60

120

150

180

210

240

270

300

330

360

Time (min)
Fig. 4: Dry ing Characteristics of mushroom under cabinet tray drying (6O"C) at
different pre-treatments
..
_
--"--- ..

_-

r-~-----I

1100
--.

Drying Temperature: 700C

1000

:g900
-......'#.

I~

-+-Control

800

___ Blanching(3-4 min)

700

-.-O.50/0KMS

600

~1.O%KMS

500
t; 400

-il-1.50/0KMS

;:s

.!!2

300

'~ l__-

200

30

60

90

120
150
Time (min)

I:

180

210

_=- __=II
240

Fig. 5: Drying characteristics of mushroom under cabinet tray drying (70C) at

defferent pre-treatments

,,--------------

270

Vol. 25, No.2, 2006

85

1200
1100

I
I

I' '"'
.0
I -0

.......

-+-Temperature: 55Cj

1000

___ Temperature: 60C

900

----.- Temperature: 70C

i~ 800

c:

700

c:

600
500
400
300
200

i,

.8
<Il

1'-

l~
I

i
I
L

I~ 1--.--,----.---,--.-~~t,:;:;~~l;:;:;~=~~
o

30

60

90

120

150

180

210

240

270

300

330

Time (min)
Fig.6: Drying characteristics ofmushrom under cabinet tray drying at different
temperatures

dried at 70C had higher drying rate as

compared to the sample dried at 55 and 60C
in a cabinet tray drier, probably due to higher
temperature of air has increased the
temperature of the product, which accelerates
the movement of moisture from the product.
Similar observation were made by Deshpande
and Tamhane (1981).
Ags.1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 clearly show that
the untreated samples exhibited higher drying
rate than the treated samples. The differences
among treatments may be attributed to
difference in bound moisture content,
developed due to different treatments (Suguna
et aI., 1995). The blanched samples had slower
drying rate compared to untreated and KMS
treated samples. This is attributed to the
moisture might have been more strongly bound
in the blanched samples. Even though
blanching increases the permeability of cell

walls, higher shrinkage of volume occurs during

subsequent dIVing, which causes resistance to
water movement in the cells.
Rehydration characteristics
It is observed from the Table 2 that
the mushroom samples dried under solar
cabinet dried had lower rehydration ratio as
compared to Microwave oven and cabinet tray
dried samples. The samples pretreated with
KMS recorded higher rehydration ratio
compared to untreated and blanched samples.
This phenomenon was found in all the three
methods of drying. This might be due to less
damage and increased energy absorption
during drying caused by more absorption of
water during pretreatment (pruthi et aJ., 1978).
The elastiCity of cell walls and swelling power
of starch, which are important for good
rehydration would have reduced during
blanching, hence there was lower rehydration

86

.........

J. DAIRYING, FOODS & H.S.

ratio of blan~hed samples. Similar results were pretreatment had highest sensory evaluation
obtained by Rama and Jacob Johan (2000) scores for colour, texture and flavour compared
and Kashibai et al. (1998).
to untreated and blanched samples (Table 2).
The rehydration ratios of the dried It is known that sulphuring or sulphiting (KMS)
samples under different drying methods for acts as a preservative and also prevents the
different periods of immersion time are presented enzyme catalyzed oxidative changes, inhibits
in Table 2A. From the table, it is observed that, microbial deterioration and withstands higher
the rehydration was almost complete within ten temperatures for drying. The texture of the
minutes of immersion in boiling water. During blanched samples were adversely affected, as
the rehydration process, the water turned brown it was very hard compared to KMS treated
and turbid in case of untreated and blanched samples, which might be due to blanching
samples. In case of KM$ pre-treated samples, it treatments. The quality of the dried
had an attractive yellow colour and remain~d mushrooms, which had no pretreatments, was
almost clear. Similar observation have been found to be undesirable, the texture was soft
made by Pruthi et aI., (1978).
and the product crumbled readily. Similar
Sensory evaluation
results were recorded by Deshpande and
Mushroom samples dried after KMS Tamhane (1981).

REFERENCES
Amerine, M.D.et al (1965). Principles ofSensory Evaluation ofFoods, Academic Press, London.
AOAC (1995): Official methcxls Q/Analysis ofAOAC international, 1995, (Edited by Patricia Cunniff), AOAC International
Publication, 16th Edition, Vol. II, Chapter 37, pp: 4.
Dang, RL. and Singh, RP., (1978), In: Indian Mushroom Science 1. First Symposium on Survey and Cultivation of edible
mushroom in India, held at Regional Research Laboratory, SrInagar, 1976, (Atal, C.K., Eds), pp: 215-223.
Deshpande, AG. and Tamhane, D.\/., (1981), J. Fd. Sci. Technol., 18 (3): 96-101.
Hemant Mahure, (2oo2),Agric Today, March 2002, pp: 42-43.
Kashibai, 5., (1998) Karnataka J. Agril. Sci., 11 765-769.
Marimuthu, 1.,(1998) In: Oyster Mushroom Production., Arst edn. Tamil Nadu Agril. Univ. Coimbatore.
Mudahar, G.S. and Bains, G.S., (1982),lndian. Fd. Packer. 36 (2): 19-27.
Pruthi, J.S.,(1978) Indian. Fd. Packer, 32 (2): 7-15.
Rama, \/. and Jacob John, P., (2000) Indian. Fd. Packer, 54 (1-6): 59-64.
Suguna, S., L.,(1995) J. Fd. Sci. Technol., 32 (4): 284-288.
Tewari, RP. and Meera Pandey, (2002) Hindu Survey of Indian Agriculture-2002, pp: 165-167.
Tewari, RP., (2004), The Hindu Survey of Indian Agriculture-2004. pp: 132-133.
Tulsidas,T. N., (1994) Combined convective and microwave drying of grapes. Ph. D. Thesis submitted to the faculty of
graduate studies and research of Mc Gill., Macdonald Campus, Canada H9X3V9.