The Faculty of Agriculture, Food Science and Environmental Management of the University of Debrecen is starting to develop innovative raw materials for the food industry and medicine within the framework of a four-year program. Many new products can be made from the traditional and exotic mushrooms used in the research.
The Faculty of Agriculture, Food Science and Environmental Management (MÉK) of the University of Debrecen (DE) has been researching functional food raw materials for more than 10 years. All plants that may contain ingredients that support our health are examined.
The mushroom is an excellent source, it contains active ingredients that can be concentrated not only for food, but also for medicines.
– József Prokisch, associate professor, told hirek.unideb.hu.
In the program, new products and raw materials are produced according to the plans, using the most widespread mushrooms, laska and shitake mushrooms in Hungary.
In the canning industry, fast, high-temperature heat treatment has traditionally been common. The sous vide technology we use, the relatively low processing at 50-90 degrees Celsius, preserves many more active ingredients. Compared to canning as well as drying, this process is also advantageous because after sterilization, the finished product will taste very similar to fresh mushrooms.
– the university associate professor detailed.
Large amounts of mushroom juice generated during the processing of the mushroom are also used. Up to 4-5 liters of juice can be extracted from ten kilograms of raw material. One of the main directions of research is to investigate this fragrant liquid containing very valuable ingredients, which is rich in water-soluble polysaccharides as well as amino acids and polypeptides.
Mushroom juice, after further processing, can be used for flavoring in the food industry, among other things, and can be sold as a dietary supplement in the health industry. The aim of the project is to concentrate active ingredients such as lentin, which is also used in chemotherapy treatments, or erythadine, which supports cholesterol-lowering. In addition, we create products that are of high value both in terms of taste and culinary.
– said József Prokisch.
In addition to product development, the program also aims to develop new research technologies that can be successfully used in future research by experts from the DE MÉK Food Industry Institute, the Food Technology Institute and the Animal Husbandry Institute, among others.
The research is carried out through the tender with the identification number 2020-1.1.2-PIACI-KFI-2020-00100 in cooperation with the University of Debrecen and Magyar Gomba Kertész Kft.
hirek.unideb.hu