Umami ingredient from shiitake (Lentinula edodes) by-products as a flavor enhancer in low-salt beef burgers: Effects on physicochemical and technological properties

Food and human health applications of edible mushroom by-products

Mushroom waste can account for up to 50% of the total mushroom mass. Spent mushroom substrate, misshapen mushrooms, and mushroom stems are examples of mushroom byproducts. In ancient cultures, fungi were prized for their medicinal properties. Aqueous extracts containing high levels of β-glucans as functional components capable of providing prebiotic polysaccharides and improved texture to foods have been widely used and new methods have been tested to improve extraction yields. Similarly, the addition of insoluble polysaccharides controls the glycemic index, counteracting the effects of increasingly high-calorie diets. Numerous studies support these benefits in vitro, but evidence in vivo is scarce. Nonetheless, many authors have created a variety of functional foods, ranging from yogurt to noodles. In this review, we focus on the pharmacological properties of edible mushroom by-products, and the possible risks derived from its consumption. By incorporating these by-products into human or animal feed formulations, mushroom producers will be able to fully optimize crop use and pave the way for the industry to move toward a zero-waste paradigm.

Plant-Based Meat Analogues: Exploring Proteins, Fibers and Polyphenolic Compounds as Functional Ingredients for Future Food Solutions

As the lack of resources required to meet the demands of a growing population is increasingly evident, plant-based diets can be seen as part of the solution, also addressing ethical, environmental, and health concerns. The rise of vegetarian and vegan food regimes is a powerful catalyzer of a transition from animal-based diets to plant-based diets, which foments the need for innovation within the food industry. Vegetables and fruits are a rich source of protein, and bioactive compounds such as dietary fibres and polyphenols and can be used as technological ingredients (e.g., thickening agents, emulsifiers, or colouring agents), while providing health benefits. This review provides insight on the potential of plant-based ingredients as a source of alternative proteins, dietary fibres and antioxidant compounds, and their use for the development of food- and alternative plant-based products. The application of these ingredients on meat analogues and their impact on health, the environment and consumers' acceptance are discussed. Given the current knowledge on meat analogue production, factors like cost, production and texturization techniques, upscaling conditions, sensory attributes and nutritional safety are factors that require further development to fully achieve the full potential of plant-based meat analogues.

Effects of umami substances as taste enhancers on salt reduction in meat products: A review

Sodium is one of the essential additives in meat processing, but excessive sodium intake may increase risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. However, reducing salt content while preserving its preservative effect, organoleptic properties, and technological characteristics poses challenges. In this review, the mechanism of salt reduction of umami substances was introduced from the perspective of gustation-taste interaction, and the effects of the addition of traditional umami substances (amino acids, nucleotides, organic acids(OAs)) and natural umami ingredients (mushrooms, seaweeds, tomatoes, soybeans, tea, grains) on the sensory properties of the meat with reduced-salt contents were summarized. In addition, the impacts of taste enhancers on eating quality (color, sensory, textural characteristics, and water-holding capacity (WHC)), and processing quality (lipid oxidation, pH) of meat products (MP) and their related mechanisms were also discussed. Among them, natural umami ingredients exhibit distinct advantages over traditional umami substances in terms of enhancing quality and nutritional value. On the basis of salt reduction, natural umami ingredients improve the flavor, texture, WHC and antioxidant capacity. This comprehensive review may provide the food industry with a theoretical foundation for mitigating salt consumption through the utilization of umami substances and natural ingredients.

Umami Characteristics and Taste Improvement Mechanism of Meat

Taste is one of the five senses that detect vital information about what we are eating. Comprehending taste is crucial for enhancing the flavor of foodstuffs and high-protein foods like meat. Umami has global recognition as the fifth elementary taste, alongside sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness. Umami compounds are known to enhance the sensation of recognized flavors such as salty, sweet, bitter, and others. This could end up in greater food consumption by consumption by consumers. With the rising global population, meat consumption is rising and is projected to double by 2025. It is crucial to comprehend the umami mechanism of meat and meat products, identify novel compounds, and employ laboratory methodologies to gather varied information. This knowledge will aid in the development of new consumer products. Although very limited information is available on umami taste and compounds in meat through research data. This article discusses recent advancements in umami compounds in other foodstuff as well as meat to aid in designing future research and meat product development. Moreover, another objective of this review is to learn present techniques in foodstuffs to enhance umami taste and utilize that knowledge in meat products.

Flavor characteristics of large yellow croaker soup served with different dried edible fungi

The effects of different edible fungi on the flavor profiles of fish soups were analyzed by sensory evaluation, non-volatile and volatile flavor compounds. The sensory attributes of fish soups were modified by adding edible fungi, with the highest total scores obtained for AAFS and DFS. Compared with pure fish soup, the amounts of free amino acids, nucleotides, organic acids and inorganic ions were increased with fungi addition, especially AAFS. The different mushroom fish soups could be clearly distinguished by E-nose analysis, and a total of 52 flavor compounds, mainly composed of aldehydes (27), ketones (11), alcohols (8), esters (4), and others (2), were then identified by GC-IMS. Eventually, fish soup samples were classified into three groups based on OPLS-DA analysis: Ⅰ (LEFS), Ⅱ (BFS and BEFS) and Ⅲ (ABFS, AAFS and DFS). The results showed that Agrocybe aegerita had high suitability for improving the flavor of Large yellow croaker soups.

Disentangling the Tissue-Specific Variations of Volatile Flavor Profiles of the Lentinula edodes Fruiting Body

For Lentinula edodes, its characteristic flavor is the key determinant for consumer preferences. However, the tissue-specific volatile flavor variations of the fruiting body have been overlooked. Here, we comprehensively investigated the volatile flavor profiles of different tissues, including the pileus skin, context, gill, and stipe of the fruiting body, of two widely cultivated L. edodes strains (T2 and 0912) using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique combined with a multivariate analysis. We show that the eight-carbon and sulfur compounds, which represented 43.2-78.0% and 1.4-42.9% of the total volatile emissions for strains 0912 and T2, respectively, dominated their volatile profiles. Compared with strain T2, strain 0912 had a higher total content of eight-carbon compounds but a lower total content of sulfur compounds in the fruiting body. The sulfur compounds represented 32.2% and 42.9% of the total volatile emissions for strains 0912 and T2, respectively. In contrast, they constituted only 1.4% in the stipes of strain 0912 and 9.0% in the skin of strain T2. The proportions of the predominant C8 compounds (1-octen-3-one, 1-octen-3-ol, and 3-octanone) and sulfur compounds (lenthionine, 1,2,4-trithiolane, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide) changed depending on the tissues and strains. Using machine learning, we show that the prediction accuracy for different strains and tissues using their volatile profiles could reach 100% based on the highly diverse strain- and tissue-derived volatile variations. Our results reveal and highlight for the first time the comprehensive tissue-specific volatile flavor variations of the L. edodes fruiting body. These findings underscore the significance of considering strain and tissue differences as pivotal variables when aiming to develop products with volatile flavor characteristics.

Sensory Flavor Profile of Split Gill Mushroom (Schizophyllum commune) Extract and Its Enhancement Effect on Taste Perception in Salt Solution and Seasoned Clear Soup

Edible mushroom has attracted increasing attention as a natural flavor enhancer. This research studied sensory flavor profiles and identified umami taste-related compounds in split gill mushroom extract (SGME) using descriptive analysis and chemical analysis, respectively. The effects of SGME on taste enhancement as perceived by trained descriptive panelists and general consumers were evaluated in salt solutions and clear chicken soups. The results showed that SGME had mushroom, bitter aromatic, dark brown, meaty, and musty flavor notes and salty and umami tastes. Glutamic acid, aspartic acids, adenosine 5'-monophosphate (5'-AMP), and guanosine 5'-monophosphate (5'-GMP) contributed to SGME's umami taste. As perceived by trained panelists, saltiness enhancement caused by SGME in aqueous solutions occurred only at relatively low salt concentrations (0.3 and 0.5%), while its umami enhancement effect was more pronounced. When SGME was added into reduced-salt seasoned clear chicken soups, it helped to enhance both the salty and umami tastes of the soups. The 20-31.25% reduced-salt soups with 12.5% of SGME were rated as salty as (p > 0.05) the control soup with regular salt content as perceived by both trained panelists and general consumers. The results suggest that SGME could be used as a natural flavor enhancer in the development of reduced-salt foods.

Assessment of Chemical, Physico-Chemical and Sensory Properties of Low-Sodium Beef Burgers Formulated with Flours from Different Mushroom Types

It is now widely demonstrated that excessive salt consumption can cause various health problems, and meat products are among the foods most consumed with a high salt content. For that, the aim of this work was to assess the effects of the utilization of flours obtained from oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus), and portobello mushrooms (Agaricus brunnescen) as salt replacers on chemical, physicochemical, and sensory properties of beef burgers. The fat and protein content was not affected by the inclusion of mushroom flour, while the sodium content was reduced by 55-61% compared to the control sample. The control sample had the lowest values for cooking loss and shrinkage (12.29 and 18.69%, respectively) whilst the reformulated samples had higher values ranging between 16.08 and 18.88% for cooking loss, respectively, and between 19.55 and 28.25% for shrinkage, respectively. The reformulated samples showed higher lipid oxidation values (ranging from 0.18 and 0.20 mg malondialdehyde/kg sample) than the control sample. Sensorially, all parameters analyzed were not affected by the replacement of sodium chloride by the different mushroom flours. The use of flours obtained from different mushroom flours is a viable alternative to be used as sodium chloride replacers in the preparation of beef burgers.

Contents and Correlations of Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine, Nε-(carboxyethyl)lysine, Acrylamide and Nutrients in Plant-Based Meat Analogs

High temperatures applied in the production of plant-based meat analogs (PBMA) lead to the occurrence of Maillard reactions, in which harmful compounds Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), Nε-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) and acrylamide are formed. However, little research has focused on these compounds in PBMA. In this study, the contents of CML, CEL and acrylamide in 15 commercial-sold PBMA were determined by an ultra-high performance liquid chromatograph coupled with a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS). Nutrients (protein, amino acids, fatty acids and sugars) which are related to the formation of these compounds were also studied. The results showed that CML, CEL and acrylamide contents were in the range of 16.46-47.61 mg/kg, 25.21-86.23 mg/kg and 31.81-186.70 μg/kg, respectively. Proteins account for 24.03-53.18% of PBMA. Except for Met + Cys, which is the limiting amino acid of most PBMA, all other indispensable amino acids met the requirements for adults. Besides, PBMA had more n-6 fatty acids than n-3 fatty acids. A correlation analysis showed that proteins and the profiles of amino acid and fatty acid had little influence on CML but significant influence on CEL and acrylamide. The results of the present study can be used as a reference to produce PBMA with higher amounts of nutrients and lower amounts of CML, CEL and acrylamide.

Development of an Effective Protocol for Evaluating the Saltiness Intensity Enhancement of Umami Compounds

Reducing sodium intake without decreasing saltiness perception remains an important target in the food industry. This study developed an effective protocol for evaluating the saltiness perception enhanced by umami compounds. Two sodium chloride solutions (2.00 and 6.00 g/L) were the preferred concentrations for consumers. Two-alternative forced-choice evaluation results confirmed that at a concentration of 2.00 g/L (sodium concentration), the highest replacement ratios of monosodium glutamate and l-alanine (Ala) were 10 and 20% in sodium chloride solution without saltiness intensity decrease, respectively. The highest replacement ratios of l-glycine (Gly) and Ala were 10 and 20% compared to 6.00 g/L, respectively. Temporal dominance of sensations analysis figured out that gum Arabic (GA) could compensate for the decrease of the retention time and increase the overall saltiness perception in the sodium-reduced sample. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation results showed that Ala and Gly could inhibit the binding of Na⁺ to mucin, thereby increasing the saltiness perception. GA exhibited the best saltiness enhancement effect in sodium-reduced solution by producing the nanoparticles from GA, decreasing the stability of the solution system, enhancing the loading effect of mucin on Na⁺, and prolonging the saltiness perception.

Microbiological Safety and Shelf-Life of Low-Salt Meat Products-A Review

Salt is widely employed in different foods, especially in meat products, due to its very diverse and extended functionality. However, the high intake of sodium chloride in human diet has been under consideration for the last years, because it is related to serious health problems. The meat-processing industry and research institutions are evaluating different strategies to overcome the elevated salt concentrations in products without a quality reduction. Several properties could be directly or indirectly affected by a sodium chloride decrease. Among them, microbial stability could be shifted towards pathogen growth, posing a serious public health threat. Nonetheless, the majority of the literature available focuses attention on the sensorial and technological challenges that salt reduction implies. Thereafter, the need to discuss the consequences for shelf-life and microbial safety should be considered. Hence, this review aims to merge all the available knowledge regarding salt reduction in meat products, providing an assessment on how to obtain low salt products that are sensorily accepted by the consumer, technologically feasible from the perspective of the industry, and, in particular, safe with respect to microbial stability.

Effect of Gelled Emulsions Elaborated with Soybean Oil, Maca (Lepidium meyenni) Flour, and Chincho (Tagetes elliptica Sm.) Essential Oil upon Animal Fat Substitution in Beef Burgers

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of pork backfat (PB) substitution in a meat burger with a gelled emulsion (GE) elaborated with maca flour, soybean oil, and chincho essential oil (CEO). Lipid profile (gas chromatography—GC), health indices, physicochemical properties (CIELAB color, pH, texture profile—TPA), and cooking and sensory characteristics of meat burgers were analyzed. Five formulations were evaluated: control (BC) (80% beef meat and 20% PB); BSM (10% PB + 10% GE); BSMC0.25 (BSM + 0.25% CEO); BSMC0.5 (BSM + 0.5% CEO), and BSMC1.0 (BSM + 1.0% CEO). GE substitution in meat burgers provided a healthier lipid profile; the amount of SFA was reduced (p < 0.05), while PUFA content was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the use of GE resulted in healthier PUFA/SFA ratios and lower atherogenic and thrombogenic indices. The addition of GE increased moisture content and decreased fat and protein contents. Color parameters (L*, b*, and C*) decreased after cooking. Hardness (p < 0.05), cooking losses, and shrinkage changes decreased with GE addition. Lipid oxidation levels were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by GE substitution. Therefore, the substitution of PB by GE can be considered as an effective strategy to produce healthier meat burgers without negatively affecting their physicochemical and technological properties.