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Organic agricultural waste is successfully used in the production of mushrooms as it promotes the reuse of resources and increases food production. For the formulation of the substrate for Pleurotus spp. production, the availability of nutrients must be rigorously analyzed to assess whether supplementation is necessary. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the agronomic behavior of Pleurotus ostreatus var. Florida when grown on different straws and to analyze nutrient dynamics at the beginning and end of cultivation. Straws of rice, wheat and brachiaria were used as substrates without any supplementation. The yields, biological efficiency, number and weights of mushrooms were evaluated in two crop cycles. Rice straw provided a higher yield, better biological efficiency and a greater number of mushrooms in both cultures. Wheat straw showed intermediate results for the same variables. None of the substrates showed a significant difference for mushroom weight. In the first crop, only Mg and the number of mushrooms exhibited a positive correlation; in the second crop, only K and the yield of the 1st flush showed a positive correlation. With this study, it was possible to demonstrate that agricultural residues with higher levels of K increase P. ostreatus yield, and that Mg management affects the number of mushrooms for harvesting. The results will be a useful guide for efficient and sustainable mineral supplementation of the substrate.

In this study, the formulation of doughs was investigated using varying percentages of Agaricus bisporus flour, with the aim of utilizing mushroom stem fragments, typically considered production waste. The stem residues were collected from a mushroom cultivation facility, cleaned, and washed to remove impurities. The material was then subjected to two different drying methods: conventional dehydration and freeze-drying. After drying, the material was ground to produce mushroom flour. Doughs were formulated with different proportions of this flour and analyzed for texture profile, color, nutritional value, phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and sensory characteristics. The inclusion of mushroom flour resulted in darker doughs, particularly when the flour was obtained through conventional dehydration due to oxidation processes. This substitution also affected texture parameters, leading to increased hardness and reduced elasticity in most treatments compared to the control sample. In addition, cohesiveness progressively decreased from 0.35 in the control to 0.14 in the sample made with 100% dehydrated flour and 0.20 in the sample made with 100% freeze-dried flour, resulting in brittle doughs. The most significant impact on nutritional value was an increase in protein, fat, and dietary fiber levels, reaching values over 5% of crude fiber in the sample to which 50% of dehydrated mushroom flour was added. Additionally, mushroom flours exhibited a high proportion of phenolic compounds, reaching values near 700 mg gallic acid/100 g in the flour from freeze-dried samples and 320 mg gallic acid/100 g in the flour from dehydrated samples. These values reflect a higher content of phenolic compounds in products made with mushroom flours and an increased antioxidant capacity compared to the control sample. Sensory evaluation showed that the texture remained unaffected; however, flavor perception was altered at a 50% mushroom flour substitution. In terms of external appearance, only the 25% freeze-dried mushroom flour formulation was statistically similar to the control, while all other treatments were rated lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]