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Circulation: Area of Clip: Page 1 of 1 Irish Times - Business This Week* Friday, 13 November 2015 Page: 10 82059 35500mm² Employment Based Postgraduate Programme (EBP) Charlene Connolly and Monaghan Mushrooms Researching mushrooms so consumers get what they want Academia and industry join forces to study mushroom flavour profiles Why do people prefer one type of mushroom over another? That’s one of the questions Charlene Connolly is seeking to answer in her highly innovative project with Monaghan Mushrooms. Cultivated and speciality mushrooms have unique flavour compounds responsible for their distinct taste and aroma. The taste of edible mushrooms is primarily due to the presence of substances such as nucleotides, amino acids, organic acids, soluble sugars and polyols, whereas odour is caused by volatile, lipophilic low molecular weight compounds. The objective of this research is to identify the key flavour The objective was to identify the key flavour compounds found in the selected mushroom strains; to compounds found in the develop a flavour profile for selected mushroom strains, photograph: * each mushroom strain; to train THINKSTOCK a sensoiy mushroom panel; with our academic partner The research ship Dublin Institute of Technology. M will lead to Through them, we can access greater understanding vital capabilities and achieve scientific excellence. Results of the taste of from Charlene’s work are creating mushrooms commercial opportunities for us.” The impact of the research is portant attributes and consumer important to Connolly. “With preference. It is hoped that the research an industrial based PhD, I get will lead to greater understanding subjected to both industry and academic environments that of the taste of mushrooms at a molecular level which will complement each other in enable future strain selection terms of my research. As a result, to be guided by consumer preferences. it keeps my research focused to achieve my research “Charlene’s work is essential deliverables. What I strive for to understand the reasons that is that my research will have a drive consumer preferences in commercial purpose and impact.” our category at a molecular level,” says Dr Juan Valverde of According to the company, Monaghan Mushrooms. the research will fill a gap in the “Her work goes beyond classical knowledge surrounding the flavour sensory and underpins the chemistry of mushrooms, main compounds that might what flavour compounds are responsible for a specific mushroom trigger consumers' inclination species, and will link this to one type of mushroom or another. information with consumer “This covers a key gap for preference. our business and creates a platform The results from the project conduct a consumer study to determine for further innovation would lead Monaghan Mushrooms to target specific consumer the attributes important and the exploration of new mushroom strains with enhanced for the flavour of the mushrooms groups based on taste flavours. The milestones preference while data generated to consumers; and to determine of this project are being from it will be used in developing which flavour compounds new strains. are correlated with im- reached through close partner¬