All rights reserved This work by Wilolud Journals is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License 20 Continental J. Microbiology 8 (1): 20 - 25, 2014 ISSN: 2141 – 4106 © Wilolud Journals, 2014 http://www.wiloludjournal.com Printed in Nigeria doi:10.5707/cjmb.2014.8.1.20.25 ATTITUDES OF NIGERIANS TOWARDS MUSHROOMS Abulude Olawale and Yusuf Abdulrasheed Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. ABSTRACT This study was carried out to investigate the attitudes of Nigerians towards the consumption of mushrooms. This study was undertaken at the Southwest area of the country. Two hundred respondents were administered with questionnaires. The technique of analysing was by Likert’s scale. In the analysis of data, all responses of strongly agree and agree were grouped under agreement, while strongly disagree and disagree were grouped under disagreement. From the results, the respondents showed positive attitudes towards mushrooms. On this note, we recommended that government and private individuals should embark upon the establishment of mushrooms industries. If these are established and sustained, benefits would include employment generation and others. KEYWORDS: Mushrooms, mushrooms industry, Likert’s scale, positive attitudes, Nigeria. Received for Publication: 25/02/14 Accepted for Publication: 30/05/14 Corresponding Author: sedinst@yahoo.com INTRODUCTION Edible mushroom (Fig 1) have for a long time been recognized not only as a delicacy, but also for their use as food in man’s diets. Mushrooms have been found to be rich sources of protein, lipids, amino acids, glycogen, vitamins and mineral elements (Aremu et al., 2009). Mushrooms have many uses which range from medicinal, ceremonial, nutritional and biotechnological based functions (Adebayo et al., 2009, Kattawan et al., 2011). Nigeria is a country of many tribes among which are the Hausas in the North, Yorubas in the South West, Urhobo in the Mid – West and the Ibos in the East and each of these tribes has recognized mushrooms for many years using a number of them for various economic and medicinal purposes (Ukoima et al., 2009). In general, the edible mushrooms have been classified into five categories according to the derivation of their names, namely, those named according to the taste, morphology, growth habit, texture and habitat (Osemwegie et al., 2006). Those classified according to taste are Volvariella volvacea, Volvariella esculenta which are collectively called Ogiri agbe and Termitomyces clypeatus, called Takete. On morphological basis, Termitomyces mammiformis is called Rooro while Termitomyces robustus is called Ewe. In addition, while Schizophyllum commue Fr is called Ese- adie, Agrocyber broadway (Murr) is called Gunnugu. Based on growth habit, Termitomyces globules and Pleurotus tuber-reguim) are called Olu whereas on the basis of texture, Pleurotus squarrosulus is called Erirokiro and Psathyrella atroumbonata is referred to as Wowo. Based on habitat, Francolimus bicalcaratus is called Isoaparo because it is believed that this fungus grows and thrives where the droppings of this bird are found. In addition to the above classifications, the natives have observed the growth of many fungi on different kinds of dead wood and have named each fungus after the wood on which it grows (Okhuoya et al., 2010, Abulude and Ndamitso, 2013). During the oil boom in Nigeria, these edible mushrooms were abandoned for costly alternatives like meat, fish, snail, fish, etc. As the economic situation of the people is dwindling, many had to source for protein alternatives (Abulude, 2012). The question now is what are the attitudes of Nigerians towards mushrooms intake? In the light of this, we have been prompted to address this issue by embanking on this survey. The aim of this paper is therefore to determine the attitudes shown to intake of mushrooms by Nigerians. Suggestions were made on the outcome.