Potential of Pleurotus ostreatus as a novel protein source in rice-millet-based gluten-free muffins

The study used oyster mushroom powder (OMP) as a nutrient source to improve the nutritional value of gluten-free (GF) muffins. OMP was added at 5, 10, 15, and 20% in rice-pearl millet-based gluten-free formulation for preparing muffins. The addition of OMP significantly (p 7.0), with the 15% OMP-enriched gluten-free muffins having the highest overall acceptability scores among the evaluated samples. Furthermore, the technology was demonstrated among gluten-intolerant persons and small-scale gluten-free product entrepreneurs. More than 90% of the respondents liked the OMP-enriched muffins compared to the control sample. Moreover, gluten-free processors also appreciated this simple food technology to enhance the nutritional value of existing gluten-free diets.