Effects of different shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) cut shapes on the physicochemical properties and nutrients of shiitake mushroom soup during boiling process

Different cut shapes have different effects on the physicochemical properties of shiitake mushrooms during the boiling process. This study examined the nutrient solubilization of shiitake mushrooms during the boiling process by using three different cut shapes. In the study, the protein, polysaccharide, and total phenol contents of the mushrooms were determined; the solids content, conductivity, pH, protein, polysaccharide, total phenol, and total flavonoid contents of the mushroom soup were also determined; besides, the rheological properties of the mushroom soup were also evaluated. The results indicate that the nutrient levels in the mushroom soup initially increase and then decrease as boiling continues, but the tendency differs with the differences in cut shapes. The result suggests that the retention of nutrients is better in whole shiitake mushrooms; however, the soup made from cubed mushrooms exhibits the highest nutrient dissolution, where the nutrient content of the mushroom soup is notably high. In fact, the viscosity and shear stress of the soup from cubed shiitake mushrooms proves to be significantly higher than the other samples (P < 0.05). Therefore, the nutrients in the mushroom need to be retained when the cubed mushroom had been boiled for 120 min, and the mushroom soup obtained is best with the nutrients preserved most. This study can help optimize the pretreatment and cooking methods of shiitake mushrooms to ensure that the nutrients can be maximally dissolved and retained in the soup.