Magic mushroom ingredient takes the fight out of aggressive fish - Science Daily

A disease that has troubled white button mushroom growers for more than 100 years is far more complicated than scientists previously believed. Researchers at the University of Florida have discovered that the problem involves a surprisingly diverse collection of harmful bacteria, rather than a single pathogen. The finding could help explain why the disease has been so difficult to control and lead to more effective ways to protect mushroom crops. The discovery comes from a University of Florida study investigating bacterial blotch, a persistent disease that damages white button mushrooms and causes significant financial losses for growers.

You taste a bowl of soup and reach for the salt. A little more might bring the flavor together. But what if the same amount of salt could deliver a stronger salty taste? Scientists in China have found three tiny fragments of mushroom proteins that did just that in laboratory tests. Added to salt solutions, the molecules made them taste saltier, with the strongest increasing perceived saltiness by about 71 percent. The discovery could help researchers develop seasonings that preserve salty flavor while allowing less sodium. The study in npj Science of Food, led by researchers at Gannan Medical University and Shanxi Medical University, tested peptides from the edible beech mushroom (Hypsizygus marmoreus). Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Some have tastes of their own, including umami, the savory quality associated with mushrooms and other foods. Certain umami peptides can also strengthen the perception of saltiness. That makes them interesting candidates for a familiar problem: reducing salt can change the taste of food, making a healthier formulation harder to enjoy.