RESEARCH ON THE SENSORY AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF FUNCTIONAL PASTES BASED ON SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

The study is devoted to the assessment of the effect of heat treatment regimes of shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) on the antioxidant activity of functional pastes with improved organoleptic characteristics.. Low-temperature sous-vide technology (t=50–90 °C, τ=10–60 min) and high-temperature autoclaving technology (t=125 °C, τ=45 min) were used for heat treatment. Antioxidant activity was determined by redoxometry and pH-metry methods with the calculation of reducing capacity hydroalcoholic infusions (REinf) and plant materials (REplant). The results demonstrated that an increase in temperature during the heat treatment of shiitake mushrooms promotes the activation of individual redox components, confirming an increase in the redox potential of Ehact (from 7.0 mV in control to 15.50 mV in autoclaving), however, an increase in temperature leads to the degradation of thermolabile bioactive compounds, reducing the overall redox efficiency. The highest antioxidant activity (REinf=186.98 mV, REplant=141.34 mV) was recorded during sous-vide processing at 50 °C for 60 minutes, which ensured stable pH (7.31) and preservation of taste properties. Autoclaving lowered the pH to 7.18, causing intense Maillard reactions and degradation of antioxidants. Sensory assessment on a 5-point scale (appearance, color, texture, taste, aftertaste, smell) confirmed the superiority of low-temperature modes: sous-vide samples had a light beige color, plastic consistency, pronounced mushroom flavor, and umami and nutty descriptors (4–5 points), while autoclaved samples were characterized by darkening, liver flavor, and less plasticity (3–4 points). It has been established that low-temperature heat treatment of shiitake mushroom pastes contributes to the preservation of an authentic sensory profile and an increase in antioxidant activity, which justifies the use of shiitake mushrooms to create innovative functional products in the restaurant industry and specialized diets.