QUALITY OF SHIITAKE STIPE BREAD

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes [Berk.] Pegler) stipe was used to substitute wheat flour to make bread. Bread quality including specific volume, color and sensory evaluation, and taste components including proximate composition, soluble sugars, free amino acids and 5′-nucleotides in shiitake stipe bread were analyzed and compared with those of white bread. Specific volumes were 4.02, 4.00, 3.89 and 3.75 cm3/g for white bread, 2%, 5% and 7% shiitake stipe breads, respectively. All breads had a comparable profile in proximate composition. Furthermore, 5% shiitake stipe bread contained more total soluble sugars and total free amino acids. Both breads contained considerately low amounts of monosodium glutamate-like and sweet components of free amino acids. Content of flavor 5′-nucleotides in 5% shiitake stipe bread was much higher than that in white bread. Shiitake stipe flour added into the dough resulted in 5% shiitake stipe bread with lower lightness and whiteness index values. All sensory results exhibited that substituting 5% of wheat flour in the bread formula with shiitake stipe flour did significantly lower bread acceptability. Overall, shiitake stipe could be incorporated into bread to provide its beneficial health effects. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Shiitake (Lentinula edodes[Berk.] Pegler) is commonly used as food in Asian countries and also a traditional Chinese medicine. Shiitake can be added to food as a supplement to extend and broaden its consumption and provide the beneficial health effects through various food products. Bread is consumed all over the world and many food ingredients have been included in bread formulation to increase its diversity, nutritional value and product appeal. Accordingly, shiitake stipe, a potential source of fungal chitin, was used to substitute wheat flour to make bread. Bread quality including specific volume, color and sensory evaluation, and taste components including proximate composition, soluble sugars, free amino acids and 5′-nucleotides in shiitake stipe bread were valuable information for its practical application. The present work showed that shiitake stipe could be incorporated into bread to provide its beneficial health effects.