Influence of addition of mushroom powder to semolina on proximate composition, physicochemical properties and some safety parameters of material for pasta production

The Addition of Reishi and Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder to Pasta Influences the Content of Bioactive Compounds and the Antioxidant, Potential Anti-Inflammatory, and Anticancer Properties of Pasta

The influence of a 2.5% and 5% addition of dried Reishi and Lion’s Mane mushrooms on the content of bioactive compounds and some pro-health properties of pasta was studied. In samples subjected to gastrointestinal digestion, the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant, potential anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties were significantly higher. The qualitative–quantitative analysis of phenolic compounds performed using the LC-MS/MS technique indicated that the Reishi-enriched pasta was characterized by a higher content of syringic (R2.5 sample), while pasta supplemented with Lion’ Mane had a higher content of vanillin in relation to the control pasta. In the case of ethanolic extracts, samples supplemented with the Reishi mushrooms (R5 sample) were characterized by higher ABTS antiradical properties and a reducing power while the sample supplemented with Lion’s Mane (L5 sample) had a higher ability to inhibit lipoxygenase in relation to the control sample. In conclusion, the results suggest that Reishi and Lion’s Mane mushroom powder can be used for the fortification of semolina pasta, conferring slightly healthier characteristics of the product.

Factors Affecting the Nutritional, Health, and Technological Quality of Durum Wheat for Pasta-Making: A Systematic Literature Review

Durum wheat is one of the most important food sources in the world, playing a key role in human nutrition, as well as in the economy of the different countries in which its production areas are concentrated. Its grain also represents a staple and highly versatile ingredient in the development of health foods. Nonetheless, the aspects determining durum wheat's health quality and their interactions are many, complex, and not entirely known. Therefore, the present systematic literature review aims at advancing the understanding of the relationships among nutritional, health, and technological properties of durum wheat grain, semolina, and pasta, by evaluating the factors that, either positively or negatively, can affect the quality of the products. Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched utilising sets of keywords following the PRISMA guidelines, and the relevant results of the definitive 154 eligible studies were presented and discussed. Thus, the review identified the most promising strategies to improve durum wheat quality and highlighted the importance of adopting multidisciplinary approaches for such purposes.

Potential antidepressant effects of a dietary supplement from the chlorella and lion's mane mushroom complex in aged SAMP8 mice

Since the 1990s, the prevalence of mental illnesses, such as depression, has been increasing annually and has become a major burden on society. Due to the many side effects of antidepressant drugs, the development of a complementary therapy from natural materials is an urgent need. Therefore, this study used a complex extract of chlorella and lion's mane mushroom and evaluated its antidepressant effects. Six-month-old male senescence-accelerated mice prone-8 (SAMP8) were divided into positive control; negative control; and low, medium, and high-dose groups. All groups were treated with corticosterone (CORT) at 40 mg/Kg/day for 21- days to induce depression in the animals, and the effects of different test substances on animal behavior was observed. The positive control group was intraperitoneally injected with a tricyclic antidepressant (Fluoxetine, as tricyclic antidepressant), the control group was given ddH₂O, and the test substance groups were administered test samples once daily for 21 days. The open field test (OFT) and forced swimming test (FST) were applied for behavior analyses of depression animal models. The OFT results showed that the mice in the positive control and the medium-, and high-dose groups demonstrated a significantly prolonged duration in the central area and a significantly increased travel distance. In the FST, the positive control and the medium, and high-dose groups displayed significantly reduced immobility times relative to the control group. The blood analysis results showed significant decreases in triglyceride and blood urea nitrogen levels relative to the positive control and the medium- and high-dose groups. Notably, in the positive control and the medium- and high-dose groups, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) increase by more than in the control group. In summary, medium and high dose of extract of chlorella and lion's mane mushroom could improve depression behavior in animals and have the potential to be antidepressant health care products.

The effect of the addition of various species of mushrooms on the physicochemical and sensory properties of semolina pasta

Interest in foods enriched with natural ingredients containing bioactive compounds prompts scientists to undertake research to investigate them. This work aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, physical properties, texture, and sensory properties of semolina pasta enriched with 2.5-10% dried mushroom powder (Lion's Mane (L), Maitake (M), Reishi (R), and Enoki (E)). Supplementation with dried mushrooms increased the nutritional value of all the enriched pasta variants, mainly by increasing the content of ash, protein, and dietary fiber. Fortification with Lion's Mane (10%), Reishi (7.5% and 10%), and Enoki (10%) increased the cooking loss of the pasta. A decrease in L* (lightness) and b* (yellowness) was observed in the enriched pasta, with the exception of the cooked E and L samples. Hardness was increased in the Enoki-supplemented cooked pasta. Only the pasta with 7.5% and 10% Lion's Mane and Reishi mushrooms did not have acceptable sensory attributes. Based on the research, the recommended level of supplementation is 5% for Lion's Mane and Reishi, 7.5% for Enoki, and 10% for Maitake mushrooms.