Key Technical Points in the Research and Development of Seasoned Mushroom Snacks

Seasoned mushroom snack series are among the newest leisure plant-based products. In particular, plant-based seasonings like mushroom snacks have become the reason many consumers favor this new food source of plant products, and the market has remained bullish. Drawing on years of experience in researching compound seasoned foods, we now specially offer the research and development techniques for related seasoned mushroom series products, such as seasoned shaggy mane mushroom (Coprinus comatus), seasoned enoki mushroom (Flammulina velutipes), seasoned tea tree mushroom (Agrocybe aegerita), seasoned shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes), seasoned matsutake (Tricholoma matsutake), and seasoned bolete (Boletus spp.), for everyone's reference and inspiration.

1. Processing workflow for seasoned mushrooms

Mushrooms to trimming to preservation to steaming to slicing to seasoning to packaging to high-temperature sterilization to inspection to inkjet coding to checking to boxing to sealing to warehousing.

2. Processing control points with major effects on mushrooms

Seasoned mushrooms of ordinary flavor are relatively easy to make, but the processing of better mushroom leisure snacks is affected by many factors. The processing control points with major effects are mainly the following two aspects.

(1) Seasoning. Seasoning mainly serves to achieve a perfect combination of raw materials containing many flavor substances with the fresh savory flavor of mushrooms. Among these, how to pair spices well with flavorings and essences, and how to satisfy the tastes consumers want, are both crucial. The entire seasoning process must be carried out strictly according to the formula; the order of adjusting the raw materials, the amounts of the various component raw materials, and the preparation of red oil are key details of seasoning. The addition of core raw materials is the key to seasoning today, and is also why many consumers choose it. The stirring time during seasoning and the flavor-infusion process are also crucial; how the raw materials absorb flavor is of the utmost importance.

(2) High-temperature sterilization and preservation. High-temperature sterilization and preservation are crucial in the entire processing procedure. Once a large batch of produced products faces the phenomenon of bag swelling, how to solve this problem well becomes the core of the processing technique, so reasonably controlling the moisture of seasoned mushroom foods should be the prerequisite for preventing this phenomenon. In terms of sterilization, the sterilization time and temperature must be accurate; in terms of preservation, sodium dehydroacetate and potassium sorbate are generally used for preservation. At present, some products on the market use potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate; here we advocate applying potassium sorbate and sodium dehydroacetate for preservation treatment of mushrooms. In the aspects of cleaning, preservation, seasoning, sterilization and other production environments, and hygiene disinfection, using Bobang AB04 chlorine dioxide disinfectant to treat raw material mushrooms is also very ideal.

3. Flavored formula for seasoned mushrooms

Wet mushrooms (shaggy mane mushroom, enoki mushroom, tea tree mushroom, shiitake mushroom, matsutake, bolete, etc.) 10kg, Bobang 965010g (or Bobang 963050g), monosodium glutamate 300g, white sugar 50g, pickled peppers 2kg, Bobang meat flavor powder No. 008 2g, special crisping raw material 10g, special color-protecting raw material 2g, as well as a small amount of special spices and preservatives (potassium sorbate, sodium dehydroacetate).

4. Characteristics of the seasoned mushroom series products

① A variety of distinctive flavored mushrooms can be developed, such as pickled pepper flavor, red oil flavor, wild mountain pepper flavor, and hot and sour flavor; ② The use of crisping agents can improve the shape retention of mushroom slices and also maintain a good chewiness; ③ Bobang No. 008 and the umami of the mushrooms themselves are the flavor soul of mushroom leisure snacks.

In short, this series of products is produced using mushrooms, a new food source, as raw materials, and enjoys a good reputation and high consumer recognition. The key is how to let one product drive a brand, which will determine whether it can bring an opportunity for the mushroom industry to become bigger and stronger. We sincerely welcome technical cooperation in agricultural product processing, applying our years of seasoning research to the seasoning of agricultural and sideline products, so as to accelerate the commercialization process of agricultural products.