Sautéing and roasting effect on free amino acid profiles in portobello and shiitake mushrooms, and the effect of mushroom- and cooking-related volatile aroma compounds on meaty flavor enhancement

Using mushroom to enhance meaty flavor is a common culinary practice; however, nutrition and taste studies associated with amino acid changes during mushroom cooking are limited, and mushroom aroma's enhancement of meaty flavor has not been verified. This study aimed to 1) investigate free amino acid profile changes in raw, sautéed, and roasted portobello and shiitake, and 2) investigate if certain volatiles from mushroom culinary preparation could increase meaty flavor. A total of 23 amino acids, including all 9 essential, were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography. Both cooking methods caused significant (p ≤ 0.05) free amino acid loss, while mushroom variety significantly impacted most amino acid contents. The following 8 solutions were served to 82 participants: a blank (basic taste ingredients), a control (blank with meaty flavor), and three aroma blocks (control with mushroom-like, roasted, and grilled flavors) at two intensity levels. The control solution showed significantly higher umami taste than the blank. Compared to the control and blank, the grilled aroma significantly increased meaty flavor intensity and acceptance, overall acceptance, and umami taste; while the roasted and mushroom-like aroma blocks did not show meaty flavor enhancement. Meaty flavor was mainly driven by salty, umami, and sweet tastes as well as thickness mouthfeel. This study demonstrates how culinary application impacts free amino acid content in mushroom and how meaty flavor can be enhanced by aroma compounds derived from non-animal sources.