Quality of bread supplemented with silver ear.

Silver ear (Tremella fuciformis Berkeley) 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 bread supplemented with silver ear were analyzed and compared with those of white bread. White bread and 5% silver ear bread had a comparable proximate composition. Specific volumes of 2% and 5% silver ear breads and white bread were 4.02, 3.96 and 3.79 cm3/g, respectively. Both breads contained considerately low amounts of monosodium glutamate-like and sweet components of free amino acids and flavor 5′-nucleotides. The white bread looked lighter and whiter than 5% silver ear bread. All sensory results indicated that two breads were moderately acceptable. Overall, silver ear could be incorporated into bread to provide its beneficial health effects. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Silver ear mushroom (Tremella fuciformis Berkeley) is commonly used as food in Oriental countries and is also a traditional Chinese medicine. The mushroom 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, the mushroom 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 silver ear bread were valuable information for its practical application. The present work showed that silver ear could be incorporated into bread to provide its beneficial health effects.