Research of chips cooking technology, enriched with oven-grown mushrooms

There are 630 species of higher fungi registered in Mongolia, of which 116 have nutritional and medicinal value. The country is actively developing mushroom cultivation technologies, particularly for oyster mushrooms, which are the second most widely cultivated mushroom after champignons. Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and biologically active substances with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor properties. These characteristics make them a promising raw material for both the food industry and medicine. The problem of excessive salt consumption in Mongolia (7.4–15.4 g/day with the WHO norm <5 g) requires the search for functional food products that can reduce the salt load, especially among children and young people, where the popularity of salty snacks is growing. In this study, the goal is to develop a technology for the production of unsalted chips with the addition of oyster mushroom powder. Gala potatoes and oyster mushroom powder produced by Muujig Organic were used for production. The safety of the raw materials was analyzed: the residual amounts of pesticides, heavy metals, and microbiological indicators met the standards. The experimental chips were made with 1-5% mushroom powder. The organoleptic evaluation showed that the samples with 1-2% oyster mushroom had the best characteristics (color, taste, smell, and consistency), while higher dosages worsened the appearance and texture of the product. The physical and chemical analysis of the finished chips revealed the following results: the mass fraction of protein was 3.7%, the mass fraction of fat was 34.8%, and the mass fraction of moisture was 2.5%. All the results were within the acceptable limits, and the content of toxic elements did not exceed the permissible values. Thus, the developed technology allows for the production of safe and mushroom-enriched unsalted chips, which can serve as a healthy alternative to traditional salty snacks and help reduce consumption.