The Sensory Effect of Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) as a Salt Replacement

Presenter

Kentaro Kawata

Group Members

Bryan Yu

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Alissa Nolden, Department of Food Science, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board A54, Campus Center Auditorium, Row 3 (A41-A60) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Sodium reduction is a key health challenge that we face in modern diets, but most salt alternatives are artificial, which lowers consumer interest. Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a fungus that contains umami, a taste associated with savoriness but still correlated with saltiness, which gives it potential to be a suitable sodium replacement. This study aimed to examine the overall difference in likeness and sensory perception when Lion’s Mane was substituted for salt. Commercial low-sodium vegetable broths were enriched with increasing concentrations of blends (8%, 17%, 25%, 33%, 42% Lion’s Mane) consisting of salt and Lion’s Mane. Samples were then tested for sensory evaluation with a single-blinded sensory test by consumers (n=71). The overall likeness was judged on a 9-point hedonic scale, while characteristics such as saltiness and umami were evaluated on a 7-point intensity scale. Significant differences were observed between the samples in terms of overall likeness, saltiness, and umami (P's < 0.05, One-Way ANOVA). Overall, the blend that had sodium reduced by 16% with lion’s mane was the most liked by consumers (6.46), while the likeness of the sample between the control and 33% were not different (5.84 and 5.94 respectively, P = 0.72). The results show that the addition of Lion’s Mane can be a promising natural alternative to reduce the sodium content of food products while maintaining the overall likeness. Future studies should look at other umami food products to evaluate their potential as a salt replacer.

Keywords

Lion's Mane, Sodium Reduction, Sensory Study

Research Area

Agriculture and Agronomy / Food Science

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