Development of New Pastry Products and Jams with Shiitake Mushrooms

The present study aimed at promoting the Shiitake mushroom through developments of alternative food products in the sector of pastry that may incorporated this type of mushrooms. In this way, several experiments were done and chosen to achieve the final formulations and the production of jams and pies containing Shiitake pieces as ingredients, eliminating successively the less promising sensory attempts. From the developed products, three jams and two pies were selected for their optimal characteristics and these were then evaluated for physical analyses (colour and texture) as well as chemical composition (pH, water activity, acidity, moisture, sugars, fibre, protein, fat and ash). Furthermore, in order to check the acceptability of the products by consumers and identify the main organoleptic characteristics of each product, sensory analysis was performed by determining the sensory profiles using 25 panellists. The results showed that the pies were soft (hardness about 13 N), easy to chew and elastic (66-73%), and with similar textural attributes for both variations of pie (with apple and peach based fillings). Regarding colour, the pies showed similar results, while differences in the jams were observed. The sample with citrus fruits was darker and with a more intense red coloration. As for the chemical characteristics of the jams, it was found that these had pH values (between 3.1 and 3.6) compliant with a good gel formation to obtain a desired consistency. Furthermore, the incorporation of the Shiitake mushroom turned the products richer in protein and fibre, with enhanced nutritional benefits.