Improving Truffle Mycelium Flavour Through Strain Selection Targeting Volatiles of the Ehrlich Pathway
- Author: mycolabadmin
- 2018-06-18
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Summary
This research explored how selecting different strains of truffle fungi could improve their flavor production. Scientists found that different genetic strains of truffles produce varying levels of flavor compounds, particularly those derived from amino acids. This discovery has important implications for producing better quality truffle flavors for food products.
Impacts on everyday life:
• Better quality truffle-flavored food products could become available to consumers
• Natural truffle flavors could replace synthetic alternatives in food products
• More consistent and controlled production of truffle flavors becomes possible
• Improved understanding of how fungi produce flavor compounds
• Potential for developing new food flavoring techniques
Background
Truffles are prized food delicacies known for their unique aromas, which are produced by symbiotic fungi. The marked aroma variability observed among truffles of the same species has been attributed to various factors that often co-vary in truffle orchards, making it difficult to determine the specific influence of genetics on truffle flavor.
Objective
To assess whether strain selection could be used for improving human-sensed truffle flavour produced through mycelial fermentation. The study aimed to quantify aroma variability among strains and explore if strain selection could improve truffle flavor by investigating nine strains of the white truffle Tuber borchii in various feeding experiments and sensory tests.
Results
The study found significant aroma variability among strains, predominantly linked to amino acid catabolism through the Ehrlich pathway. The existence of this pathway was confirmed through 13C labeling experiments. Sensory tests demonstrated that the human nose could distinguish between strains, with sulfur volatiles derived from methionine catabolism having the strongest influence on aroma characteristics.
Conclusion
Genetics influences truffle aroma much more deeply than previously thought, and strain selection can be effectively used to improve truffle flavour. The study demonstrated how specific strains could be selected to enhance desirable aroma compounds, particularly those produced through the Ehrlich pathway.
- Published in:Scientific Reports,
- Study Type:Laboratory Research,
- Source: 10.1038/s41598-018-27620-w