Meat+Poultry - May 2017 - IFT - 20

Beefing up burgers
Chefs consider mushroom inclusions to improve
nutrition and flavor profile of beef products
By Donna Berr y

C

ulinary professionals are exploring the inclusion
of finely diced or chopped mushrooms into
ground meat matrices to make lower-fat,
flavorful burgers and meatballs for the foodservice sector,
namely high schools, colleges and health institutions. An
opportunity exists to create similar products for fresh and
frozen retail departments.
Referred to as "the blend" by The Mushroom Council,
chefs are finding that umami-rich mushrooms match the
texture of ground meat, and when combined, yield a product
with an improved nutrition profile and delicious taste.
That's because the umami in both the meat and mushrooms
provides a greater flavor impact than either on its own.
"This concept combines chopped umami-rich
mushrooms with ground meat in America's iconic
foods," said John Cunningham, national account
manager, To-Jo Mushrooms, Avondale, Pennsylvania,
at the 2017 Annual Meat Conference in Dallas on Feb.
19-21. "Mushrooms blend seamlessly and match the
texture of ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey. It's a
perfect way to improve on the familiar in recipes such as
burgers, tacos, meatloaf or meatballs."
A sensory study conducted by The Culinary
Institute of America and Univ. of California, Davis,
and published in September 2014 in the Journal of
Food Science (79: S1795-S1804) showed that most
consumers prefer the flavor, texture, spice level and
salt level of the blend over 100-percent beef.

20

MEAT+ POULTRY / IFT PROTEIN PLANNER 2017

The study, "Flavor-enhancing properties of mushrooms
in meat-based dishes in which sodium has been reduced
and meat has been partially substituted with mushrooms,"
included eight chef-developed recipes. Researchers
investigated the effects of beef substitution with crimini
or white mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) on the flavor
profiles of carne asada and beef taco blends. The prototypes
were evaluated with a descriptive analysis panel. Sensory
mitigation of sodium reduction through the incorporation of
mushrooms was also investigated in the taco blends.
Results showed that substitution of beef with
mushrooms in the carne asada did not alter the overall
flavor strength of the dish, but the incorporation of 50- or
80-percent ground mushroom in the beef taco blend
did enhance its overall flavor as well as mushroom,
veggie, onion, garlic and earthy flavors, and umami and
sweet tastes. Overall flavor intensity of the 25-percent
reduced-salt version of the 80-percent mushroom taco
blend matched that of the full-salt versions of the 50- and
100-percent beef formulations, thus indicating that the
substitution of 80 percent of the meat with mushrooms
did mitigate the 25-percent sodium reduction in terms of
the overall flavor impact of the dish, even if it did not quite
compensate for the reduction in salty taste. 
"This sensory study showed that in some meat-based
dishes, meat can be substituted with mushrooms without
compromising the flavor of the dishes while also improving
the nutritional quality by reducing the amount of sodium,
calories, saturated fat and cholesterol," Cunningham said.
"Such products appeal to meat-eating consumers who want
to reduce their meat intake but not completely give it up." 
At the Annual Meat Conference new product
exhibition, To-Jo sampled blended beef sliders and
turkey meatballs made with the recommended
70-30 blend of meat to mushrooms. For industrial
applications, To-Jo's chopped mushrooms are
available packed in brine and are shipped in 20-lb.
pails or 80-oz. pouches. For foodservice operators or
butcher counters, smaller pack sizes are available.
Meat+Poultry - May 2017

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