Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Pork Patties with Partial Replacement of Lean Pork by Stalks of Agaricus bisporus

Author: mycolabadmin
10/27/2025
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Summary

Researchers developed healthier pork patties by replacing up to 50% of the meat with mushroom stalks (Agaricus bisporus). The resulting patties had less fat and more fiber while maintaining good taste and texture. However, very high replacement levels (more than 50%) reduced protein quality. This approach helps reduce food waste from mushroom processing while creating more nutritious meat products.

Background

Excessive consumption of red meat and fat in pork patties is linked to chronic diseases including obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and gastrointestinal cancer. Edible mushrooms, particularly Agaricus bisporus (AB), are rich in dietary fiber, essential amino acids, vitamins, and bioactive compounds like polysaccharides and antioxidants. The processing of AB generates significant amounts of mushroom stalks as waste that are underutilized.

Objective

To investigate the feasibility of using Agaricus bisporus stalks as a meat substitute in pork patties at varying replacement levels (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) and assess their nutritional, physicochemical, and sensory properties. The study aimed to develop modified meat products with improved nutritional profiles while contributing to mushroom by-product valorization.

Results

As AB replacement increased, moisture content rose from 62.81% to 77.85%, dietary fiber increased from 0% to 1.76%, and fat content decreased from 4.49% to 2.17%. However, protein content declined significantly from 23.79% to 6.70%, and energy value reduced from 135.57 to 49.67 kcal/100g. Sensory evaluation showed that 25% and 50% replacement levels maintained acceptable scores (8.10 and 7.65 respectively) comparable to control (8.25).

Conclusion

AB stalks demonstrate potential as a meat substitute for reducing fat and increasing dietary fiber in pork patties, with up to 50% substitution yielding products with desirable sensory properties. However, high substitution levels (≥50%) compromise protein quality due to low lysine content. The approach contributes to sustainable food production through mushroom by-product utilization.

Published in:Foods,
Study Type:Experimental Study,
Source: 10.3390/foods14213655, PMID: 41227629