Four wild edible mushrooms, Lentinus squarrosulus, Psathyrella atroumbonata, Coprinus micaceus and Rhodophyllus aprile were collected in the wild for the study of the effect of sun, smoke and oven drying methods on the nutrient contents. Each mushroom sample was shared into four equal parts representing fresh (wet), sun dried, oven dried at 700C and smoke dried respectively. The samples were properly dried before grinding to fine powder form. This was sieved and stored in flat bottom flasks and covered with cotton wool and foil paper at room temperature and used for all the analysis. The result showed that moisture content ranged from 66.40% in L. squarrosulus to 82.01% in P. atroumbonata. Lipid ranged from 0.10mg/100g in P. atroumbonata to 2.40mg/100g in R. aprile. Ash content ranged from 16.10mg/100g in P. atroumbonata to 23.60mg/100g in R. aprile. Protein ranged from 23.31mg/100g in R. aprile to 27.60mg/100g in P. atroumbonata. Crude fiber ranged from 14.20mg/100g in C. micaceus to 21.20mg/100g in L. squarrosulus. Carbohydrate ranged from 23.40mg/100g in P. atroumbonata to 52.10mg/100g in C. micaceus. The nutrient contents were higher in sun drying method than oven and smoke drying methods. The level of minerals, particularly potassium was higher in smoke drying methods compared to sun and oven drying methods. This study has shown that sun drying method retained more nutrients than oven and smoke drying methods.
